WATERVILLE POT MORATORIUM EXPECTED

WATERVILLE -- City councilors tonight will decide whether to place a
6-month moratorium on considering applications for marijuana-related
facilities in the city.

Councilors on July 20 voted 7-0 to place a moratorium on accepting
applications and issuing permits for marijuana-related facilities,
including dispensaries, cultivation operations and storage buildings.

Councilors are required to take two more votes and are expected to do
so tonight, according to City Manager Michael Roy. The meeting will be
at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at The Center downtown.

A moratorium would give city officials time to determine what zones,
if any, would be suitable for marijuana facilities; they also could
develop standards for such facilities.

Roy said there are two schools of thought regarding whether
municipalities must provide areas for such facilities.

"Maine Municipal Association is taking the view that, no, you really
can't prohibit them from being some place, much like pornography --
you can restrict it from certain zones, but you can't prohibit it. The
other school of thought is, using marijuana is illegal under federal
law, which gives you the power to prohibit it from happening any place
in the city."

Northeast Patients Group, based in Augusta, has cited the former KFC
building on Water Street as a possible place to develop a medical
marijuana dispensary.

The building is located across Water Street from the Hathaway Creative
Center, which houses offices for MaineGeneral Health, as well as
businesses and apartments.

Council Chairman Dana Sennett, D-Ward 4, said he expects the council
will take final votes tonight on the moratorium.

"I believe that the entire council is on board about the moratorium on
the medical marijuana outlet in the city of Waterville," he said. "We
definitely don't want to see the facility down on Water Street and we
would like to be able to take a careful look at where we'd like to
allow those to go, rather than somebody just popping in where they
feel that they can get a good price on a rental property."

In other matters, councilors will consider appointing a committee to
study the needs of the Police Department and identify options for a
new or renovated police station.

An attachment to the council agenda says the Police Department has
occupied the basement of City Hall for about 40 years and the space
was not designed as a police station when the building was constructed
in 1902.

The committee would review prior studies and reports about the need
for a new police station, examine the department's space requirements
and determine where, if any, deficiencies exist. The panel, which
would serve in an advisory capacity only, also would discuss options
for renovating, expanding or building new, and evaluating the costs,
both short and long term, of all the options.

The committee's goal would be to report to the council by Nov. 1 on
its findings; the council would make the final decision about what
action to take.

Councilors also will consider:

- - Approving an agreement that would allow Waterville Development Corp.
to act as the city's agent in marketing, selling and developing
property at Head of Falls.

- - Authorizing the City Solicitor to investigate whether it is possible
for the city to assume administration of the Waterville Sewerage District.

- - Awarding a contract for winter road salt.

- - Awarding a contract to buy, mostly with grant money, a 2011 Ford
Crown Victoria police cruiser to replace a 2003 cruiser that would be
traded in as part of the purchase.