FARMINGTON — Selectmen voted 3-1 Tuesday night to grant the transfer of a license for an adult use marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility at 374 High St. to Heather Chaney.
The transfer is contingent on owner Lucas J. Sirois paying $18,250 owed the town within the next 30 days.
Selectmen Matthew Smith, Stephan Bunker and Scott Landry supported the transfer. Selectman Michael Fogg was opposed. Selectman Joshua Bell was absent.
“I’m trying to transfer the license approved last year from myself to Heather’s name,” Sirois said before the vote. “Collectively we’ve both been working with the state.”
Maine State Police raided the Narrow Gauge Distributors “Keeping the Supply High” operation at 374 High Street last July. Later that month, it was one of a dozen Franklin County facilities federal prosecutors were seeking to seize.
“I still have my license, my conditional license,” Sirois said. The state would like taking this route instead, he noted.
Chaney has worked with Sirois for a decade. They’re back in operation, have gone through inspections, everything’s good, he said.
“I’m turning over the torch to her,” he said.
The original applicant still owes $16,250 as of Aug. 13, 2020, Town Manager Richard Davis said.
Also up for renewal is a facility on Wilton and Knowlton Corner roads for a total of $18,250 in overdue fees, he said.
“You could grant a conditional license until those are paid,” Davis said.
“That’s high up on the list of things to do,” Sirois said. “It’s going to take the state 90 top 120 days more to go through the process to get Heather the license. I understand between now and then I have to get this paid.”
Fogg asked why it’s been seven months since the fees were due.
“With what happened to us last year, it knocked us flat,” Sirois said. “Finances were a negative situation. I had no ability to come up with the funds. I’m now functioning, generating income again. It will be taken care of.”
Asked what the urgency was, Sirois said the town has to approve the transfer to obtain a state license.
The town ordinance doesn’t have anything regarding a grace period when renewing licenses, Code Enforcement Officer Steven Kaiser said. He thought a conditional license with the time requirement would help move the process forward for Chaney.
The process needs to be clarified going forward, Bunker said.
In other business, the board approved the 2021 proposed budget for the sewer department.
The almost $1.03 million budget is up $25,877 or 2.58% over last year’s budget, Davis said. Sewer rates won’t change, he noted.
Last year, the rate approved was $39.90 per 500 cubic feet, with an additional $7.98 per 100 cubic feet thereafter.
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