Maplewood could ending up being one of the cities in Missouri with a medical marijuana dispensary. Following statewide passage of Constitutional Amendment 2 earlier this month, once the governor sets up the process, at least one person is interested in opening a shop in Maplewood.
The city “can’t not allow it,” City Manager Marty Corcoran said. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t come to the forefront in the next six months. He also said it will be on the upcoming planning and zoning commission agenda, which will need to determine which zoning district would be appropriate for the business.
Both the assistant city manager, Anthony Traxler and Mayor Barry Greenberg have been approached by someone interested in opening a dispensary; it could be the same person, Greenberg said.
Greenberg said he went to several sessions relating to medical marijuana at the National League of Cities’ conference for city officials in LA that he and council member Sandi Phillips recently returned from, saying he left with more questions than answers.
One question is how to handle a business that’s cash-only. Since marijuana isn’t legal nationally, federal law prohibits banks and credit unions from taking marijuana money, so customers and business owners have to deal with bags of cash.
City officials also voted to allow a new court cost for a statewide court automation computer system — mandated by the Missouri Supreme Court — adding $7 to the currently $26.50 court cost, according to Corcoran. He said about $13 of that goes to the city. The $7 will be collected by the municipal court but will go to the Director of Revenue of the State of Missouri.
Council members also approved spending $7,491 to update the city’s municipal code online. The business, Muni Code, does the job and charges by the page, reviewing ordinances the city has passed and updating the code to match.
It’s been at least several years since the municipal code has been updated online, according to Greenberg. Council member Jennifer Schmidt said the city’s website is where most people would go to see an ordinance and asked if it could be updated annually. Council members voted to approve the $7,491, and then to consider an annual revision beginning next year, with a cut-off date of Dec. 31.
Meredith, Jedd does bring some valid points to the table regarding safety concerns of a cash-only business. With the recent armed robbery of the Boost mobile store, as well as recent armed robberies and car-jackings in the area, it is something to consider. Whether or not the people committing these crimes come from the Metrolink or are residents is a moot point. However to call someone a “racist” for noting their concern of the rising crime in our neighborhood is a bit incendiary.
Nicely said Enid and I agree.
When he’s using “thug” in this context it’s clearly racist. This is widely recognized and continues to be used. The reference to public transportation isn’t a moot point, it’s just another allusion to race without actually resorting to issuing a slur. If you want to talk about the possibility of a cash based business being robbed, fair enough, but it’s also OK to call out racism when you see it.
If you’re interested in the term “thug” and how it’s used as an alternative to the N word, you could look at this: https://www.npr.org/2015/04/30/403362626/the-racially-charged-meaning-behind-the-word-thug
Ppl have been talking about this for years though, and when people say that, they know what they’re doing IMHO
Jim, Apparently since you equate crime and thugs with black males you must assume the rest of the world does too.
Jim, did you follow the link?
As a “somewhat” older person who is a long time resident of Maplewood and who does not use Marijuana in any form, I would be all for this. Hey, if it has the potential to help alleviate pain for some folks, especially those enduring chronic pain or going through chemo for cancer treatments, etc…then it’s a good thing IMO. I’m sure Maplewood can work out the details of how to make the dispensary a safe and viable option for our community. Just my 2 pennies…
Why does Race have to come up in almost every comment, no matter the subject? The person mentioned, “Thugs” How in the heck is that remotely racist?!?! It’s so, so, so repetitive and annoying. People will Still purchase for recreational, all they is get a script from a dr. Claiming pain here and there.
Thank you, Cindy! People like Meredith claim to be so open minded and tolerant, but in fact, she is the one who equates “thugs” to only one race — black people! Who’s the real racist here, Meredith?!
When people say “thug” it has a racist meaning. Even the fact that he’s talking about crime coming from some other area, what’s the point? We live in an extremely racially segregated metro area, so saying “another part of town” is a way to talk about race without actually saying “black,” or the N word, or whatever.
https://www.npr.org/2015/04/30/403362626/the-racially-charged-meaning-behind-the-word-thug
I’m a little baffled by this statement:
“One question is how to handle a business that’s cash-only. Since marijuana isn’t legal nationally, federal law prohibits banks and credit unions from taking marijuana money, so customers and business owners have to deal with bags of cash.”
If banks can’t take “marijuana money”, does this mean that the business and its owner can’t have a bank account? That doesn’t seem realistic. I assume you really mean that the banks aren’t allowed to take part in the transaction.
Does anyone know if the cities that have medical marijuana shops get any additional revenue from them? Or does it all go to the state with the city only geting the standard sales and property taxes like the shop was a “regular” business?
How about some way to use tokens which are purchased with cash at the police station or city hall or something like that?
The tired old Metrolink trope. I distinctly remember St. Charles residence using that excuse to keep the Metrolink out of St. Charles. I sure hope Maplewood is not so shallow, naive and racist.
Definitely for Maplewood offering this. It would be great for the community. Maplewood is progressive and that’s why we moved there. We love Maplewood and hope to be the first city where people with illness can get medication that will help them recover. It’s vital.
*Remember, only people with prescriptions from doctors will be able to purchase this. It is not recreational.
I guess it would fit in with our wanting to be a hip and cool city, a destination place. But it might conflict with our small town feel.
I do wonder about the cash only business aspect of it. It seems like it’s location and how things like security are handled could make it another opportunity for the criminal element to show up in Maplewood. That might be a question for the mayor and the police to address and see if there is an increase in the crime rate after one of these places opens up. I know by now there has to be some studies that conclude if there is an issue with crime rising due to the easy cash not only inside the store but everyone that goes in the place has to have cash on them also.
I will admit that I don’t know a lot about the issues and the possibility of such a thing occurring but it is something that I feel really needs to be thought out. A simple survey of the Maplewood population might give some indication of if we are in favor of it or not.
Exactly. Maplewood is already the target of thugs from other parts of town who use the the MetroLink as key tool in their criminal pursuits. Adding an all cash high volume business that also stores large amounts of weed is just asking for problems. If this becomes a reality the council will need to zone in a 24 hr. armed guard for the facility. With the “family friendly” theme that Maplewood appears to be pursuing do we really want to become the epicenter for legal pot?
Your ideas are antiquated.
Thugs from other parts of town??? That is absolutely thinly veiled racism at its finest. I’d rather have “thugs from other parts of town” around Maplewood than have a racist neighbor.
totally agree.
Yeah sometimes going to rob the dispensary and then they’re going to take their bags of cash and weed and go home on the Metrolink
I don’t think it is a choice for us whether we want it or not. I do agree that there are many factors that need to be considered, and a good plan put in place for the cash only element. However there are other states that have the same issue, and we can learn from them about handling that part of it. It is medicinal, not recreational, which is handled differently. We can handle it Maplewood.
They should let them be there. There are people that will need it for their medical problems.
The law is law, I agree that Maplewood could pave the way.. there will be hiccups, Maplewood is on the map now let’s keepmit rolling
Let’s be the first!
Let the dispensary come .
I see you. ?
This will be a fun comment section
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