Dispensary group eyes Augusta, Waterville

Northeast Patients Group has to deal with zoning restrictions and
other issues as it picks a site.

AUGUSTA - The group awarded four of the six medical marijuana
dispensary licenses statewide hasn't yet decided whether to locate its
central Maine facility in Augusta or Waterville -- a decision
complicated by zoning, a planned new hospital and a proposed highway
ramp.

Rebecca DeKeuster, executive director of Northeast Patients Group,
said she'll work closely with city leaders and the state Department of
Health and Human Services to choose a location.

Northeast has identified 13 Water St. in Waterville -- an old Kentucky
Fried Chicken restaurant -- and 10 Middle Road, Augusta, a vacant
building that's for sale, as the two possible locations.

"Augusta's zoning asks dispensaries to go into a medical zone, which
is fairly limited," DeKeuster said. "We're not sure we can find one
that meets the zoning requirements."

The proposed Augusta location is not far from the Harold Alfond Center
for Cancer Care and the site of a proposed new hospital that would
serve central Maine. The state is seeking federal money to build a
highway ramp to service the area.

DeKeuster said she'll have a better idea of which location makes the
most sense after a meeting with DHHS this month.

The group expects to open its central Maine location in November. It
anticipates $702,130 in revenue the first full year of operation and
$1.5 million the second full year, according to its application on
file with the state.

The average price of marijuana sold by the group will be $340 per
ounce. State law allows certified patients to access up to 2.5 ounces
every other week Northeast plans to offer discounts to veterans and
low income patients.

In central Maine, the group expects to serve 175 registered patients
within the first year.

When it comes to staffing, the dispensary is expected to employ three
people at the end of the first year, with an average salary of $36,974.

Tim Dysart of Dysarts Service in Bangor said his company has offered
to rent some warehouse space to Northeast. And Sen. Joe Perry,
D-Bangor, wrote a letter to DHHS in support of Northeast and its head
of growing operations, Matt Hawes.

"I will attest to Matt's high integrity, passion and knowledge of
medical marijuana cultivation techniques," Perry wrote. "Any business
which is affiliated with Matt Hawes will be an asset to the community."

Augusta City Manager Bill Bridgeo said the City Council voted recently
to restrict dispensaries to a designated medical zone. That zone
currently exists around the cancer center, and may be expanded pending
consideration of the Planning Board at a July 27 meeting.

The city of Waterville wrote a letter confirming that the 13 Water St.
location is appropriate for a dispensary.