CLINTON – In approving a Host Community Agreement for Diligentia Express LLC Cannabis Delivery, selectmen agreed to lower community impact fees the first two years it is in business at 20 Cameron St.
The 3% sales tax will go to the town as well as an impact fee. Most of the town’s other agreements with marijuana businesses include the 3% impact fee that has become standard in the state.
But Diligentia will pay 1% the first year and 2% the second year before the rate rises to 3% in the third and following years.
Leonard Sanders had detailed his business plans at the November selectmen’s meeting and he described himself as a local, social equity certified, minority-owned marijuana business.
“This applicant is a social equity applicant,” Town Counsel Robert Gibbons said. The Cannabis Control Commission set up the social equity program to create access to cannabis industry, Gibbons said.
“This applicant does fall under that program,” Gibbons said. “That is somewhat unique.”
“The main rationale is the difficulty to access capital for social equity applicants,” Selectman Ed Devault clarified before the board unanimously approved the lower impact fees as well as a couple changes Gibbons said were minor such as changing the name used in the agreement.
In other business
• Selectmen approved a recommendation from Gibbons for an order of taking at 35 South Meadow Road.
“Some permanent and some temporary easements required for the Department of Environmental Protection mandate that we dredge the pond,” Gibbons said.
The job description for an assistant town administrator was recently approved by the Personnel Board, Devault said at the selectmen’s Feb. 16 meeting.
With many delays in progress creating the position approved by voters last year, Devault urged “the Board of Selectmen approve that motion so we can start posting and advertising for that position.”
• Selectmen looking to fill the post of Clinton Emergency Management Agency director voted to see if the fire and police chiefs are interested in taking on the duties, something done in many communities. The town could still opt for a volunteer director, such as Constantino “Dino” Zapantis, who had led the agency, but left as director last year.
Selectmen Chairman Sean Kerrigan has filled in as director under regulations that make the chairman the director in the absence of another appointee.
• Selectmen opened a hearing, but delayed action on a request to change the liquor license for Next Door Market from a beer and wine license to an all-alcohol license.
Town Administrator Michael Ward said the special legislation that the town’s voters approved at Town Meeting had passed the state Legislature. Since that gave the town an additional all-alcohol license specifically for the business, the board could allow the change for 1183 Main Street Super Sumit Inc., which does business as Next Door Market.
Manager Saurabin Patel was out of town the day of the selectmen’s meeting, Ward said, so Ward recommended the board open the hearing so it does not have to be re-noticed, and just continue it to the next meeting on March 2.
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