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DDA: Allow medical marijuana downtown

Courtesy Image This image provided by the Alpena Downtown Development Authority shows the results of a survey sent by the DDA to downtown business owners.

ALPENA — The Alpena Downtown Development Authority board voted 6-5 Tuesday to recommend that the Alpena Municipal Council allow up to two medical marijuana provisioning centers downtown.

Voting for the recommendation were board members Shawn Straley, Jeffrey Mindock, Todd Britton, Joanna Cooper, Griffin James, and Kyrie Momrik. Voting against here Aaron Buza, Mike Mahler, Chad Esch, Matt Wojda, and Alpena City Manager Greg Sundin.

The Municipal Council has final say on where and how many marijuana businesses can be opened, if any at all. The council is expected to act on the issue in the coming weeks.

Earlier this year, DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry sent surveys to downtown businesses and property owners, seeking input on the prospect of having a medical marijuana provisioning downtown. The results of those surveys show support for it.

Gentry said Tuesday she received 60 responses out of 160 surveys issued. Among respondents, 38.33% said they support having a medical marijuana store downtown. An additional 25% said they would support such a move with limitations on the businesses.

Only four respondents said no, and three were indifferent to the idea.

Gentry said 60 responses is a good number, because in past surveys only about 20 or 30 replied.

DDA board Chairman Mike Mahler, who voted no on Tuesday, said he understands how decisive the issue is. No matter how the vote turned out, he said, there would likely be some people unhappy with it.

“We all know there is going to be somebody who isn’t going to like it and believe we didn’t do the right thing,” Mahler said. “But I think it is important that we vote on this and give our recommendation to council.”

Todd Britton said that, because the drug is being used to help people who are sick and that it is now legal in Michigan, hindering people who benefit from the drug doesn’t make sense.

“It’s legal and it is for medicinal purposes,” Britton said. “I’m not a big-government guy and I don’t think we should be telling people what to do. If it’s legal and people have a card to get it, I see no way why we should be in the way of that.”

Michigan voters legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 2008.

In November, voters legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, but the Alpena Municipal Council already has voted to prohibit recreational marijuana stores in the city limits.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com.

Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpeanews.com.

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