Framingham Gets Subpoena Over Retail Cannabis Host Agreements

FRAMNGHAM, MA — Framingham is among a handful of Massachusetts communities being asked to hand over records related to cannabis store licensing, the mayor's office told the City Council on Thursday. The U.S. Attorney in Boston is probing potential corruption in license negotiations.

The subpoenas — which also hit Boston, Brookline, and Newton this week — come after U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling charged Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia in September with extorting marijuana vendors for more than $600,000 to secure a host agreement.

Framingham has negotiated agreements with six marijuana retailers. None have opened yet, but one, Cultivate, has advertised that its Worcester Road location will open soon.

"Framingham, like many of the Massachusetts communities negotiating and awarding host community agreements, has received an FBI subpoena for records and is working to comply," Framingham Chief Operating Officer Thatcher Kezer told the Council on Thursday night, adding that the city has no other details to release.

As part of the licensing procedure at the local level, the recreational cannabis retailer must work together on and then sign a Host Community Agreement. The agreements have been controversial, as they typically require the retailer to make payments to the host community.

State law is murky on what is and is not acceptable. The state says municipalities can only collect up to 3 percent of revenue for five years, and that the money be used to offset impact related to hosting the stores. But communities have argued the law does not prevent them from collecting separate fees or requiring the retailers to make donations.

Communities including Great Barrington, Eastham, Leicester, Northampton, and Uxbridge have also received subpoenas.

Patch reporters Jenna Fisher and Dave Copeland contributed reporting