ICYMI: Town Meeting, Election, Includes Vote On Marijuana Businesses In Westborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA — At Westborough's March 18 Annual Town Meeting, voters will decide on 38 warrant articles, including whether the town will support the construction of a new cemetery, improving the water system and $1.5 million for a modular project at Armstrong.

But perhaps one of the more controversial votes comes in the the form of Articles 32 and 33, which pertain to the seeing if the town would amend its bylaws to prohibit recreational marijuana businesses to operate in Westborough.

In the warrant statement, Town Manager James Malloy writes, "This Article would amend the Town’s General Bylaws to prohibit all types of commercial marijuana establishments as allowed by the petitioned ballot question approved in November 2016. Due to the manner in which the petitioned ballot question was worded, this question appeared on the Town Election ballot as well and is being voted on as both a General and Zoning Bylaw.

The Board of Selectmen voted at its last meeting to include a question on the ballot for the March 7 annual town election, reports Wicked Local Westborough. A yes would prohibit the operation of all licensed marijuana-related businesses, "including cultivators, testing facilities, product manufacturers and retailers."

In the state election in November, Massachusetts said "Yes on 4" legalizing marijuana, with a 53.3 to 47.7 percent win.

Prior to the vote, Chief Alan Gordon urged voters to vote "no," stating, "Colorado and Washington state have already enacted similar marijuana laws, and they have been a disaster. Traffic fatalities in both states where motorists were high on marijuana have gone up."

While the referendum won statewide, Westborough rejected the measure by a few hundred votes.

<a href="<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9654208/">Should" class="redactor-linkify-object">http://polldaddy.com/poll/9654...</a> Westborough Ban Marijuana Business In Town?</a>

Photo via Shutterstock