Springfield, Mass. Springfield City Councilors could decide whether a proposed medical marijuana dispensary will move forward at a meeting Monday night.
Hampden Care Facility Inc. wants to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 506 cottage Street in East Springfield, but first, they need the city council to approve the proposed host agreement.
The host agreement has become the subject of debate in recent weeks. The original agreement included a clause that would have made Hampden Care Facility Inc. the only dispensary in the city for at least 10-years, eliminating all competition.
In return, Hampden Care Facility Inc. would give the city and the police department a percentage of the dispensarys gross revenue, which would start at 3%, and continue increasing each year.
The company changed the clause a couple of weeks ago, after the Health and Human Services Committee expressed concerns at a meeting that eliminating all competition for a decade could be bad for consumers.
Hampden Care said theyd lower the agreement from 10-years, to 5-years, but would also reduce the percentage of revenue given to the city by one percentage point.
Despite the change, the Health and Human Services Committee refused to formally recommend the host agreement to the city. Some members on the committee said 5-years was still too long, while others didnt want to approve a proposal where the city would be given less money.
City councilors will now vote on the host-agreement without a formal recommendation from the Health and Human Services Committee.
That vote will take place during the City Councils meeting, at 7:00 Monday night, at City Hall in Springfield.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Springfield City Council To Vote On Medical Marijuana Dispensary Host Agreement
Author: Tamara Sacharczyk
Contact: 413-377-1160
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: WWLP
