By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich- On Monday night the village council will host a public hearing to discuss the adoption of Ordinance 18-1 the prohibition of marijuana establishments.
Last November during a special meeting the village council voted 5-0 to approve a resolution to prohibit marijuana establishments within the boundaries of the village.
The resolution followed a new state law that went into effect Dec. 6 after voters decided to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use on Nov. 6 by a 56-44 percent margin. Michigan is now the first state in the Midwest to offer legalized weed. In 2008 Michigan voters OK’d medical marijuana. In the village, Proposal 1 followed state voters and approved recreational weed 510 yes to 440 no.

Of 1,429 registered voters 67 percent cast ballots.
“Basically, someone can’t come in and set up shop then start selling weed out of it,” said Shannon McCafferty, village president. “It’s not going to prevent the recreational use that’s allowed in private dwellings but, this will prohibit anyone from coming into the village trying to peddle their goods.”
McCafferty is the mother of two young daughters.
“As village president I don’t want to see a weed store in our community,” she said. “There are other places to go and purchase marijuana—it’s not going to be here. How the rest of council votes it’s on them.”
Prior to voters approval last year, McCafferty said at least two village property owners have been approached to open a marijuana shop in a store.
Recreational marijuana won’t be commercially available for sale until the end of 2019 after the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs provides regulations for marketing and licensing. However, if residents are 21 years old they can grow up to 12 plants for personal use in their homes. Those plants can be given but not sold to friends and family, if they are 21 years old.