PERRY TOWNSHIP – Discussions regarding a potential marijuana dispensary within township limits continued in the board of trustees’ meeting Monday.

The possibility of a dispensary being opened in Perry Township was previously discussed at length in the trustees’ prior meeting on Feb. 23. While no official action was taken at that meeting, Trustee Chair Steve Bailey said that the only option to regulate a dispensary at the township level was to approve a resolution either limiting the number of dispensaries in the township or to bar them outright.

At the conclusion of that meeting, Trustee Tony Ieropoli called for the board to place a resolution limiting the number of dispensaries within the township on its upcoming agenda.

On Monday, Trustee Russ Sinsley said that since the board’s last meeting he had spoken with Ohio Division of Cannabis Control Superintendent Jim Canepa and been told that all currently available dispensary licenses are spoken for. He also said that they had confirmed the decision of whether a site was suitable for a dispensary is with the Ohio Cannabis Board and not the township.

“There’s 185 dispensaries in Ohio, all the licenses are accounted for,” said Sinsley.

Bailey said that he had spoken with the county prosecutor’s office and that there were two types of resolutions limiting marijuana facilities within a township — one that limits “the number of adult use cannabis operators” and another which limits “medical marijuana cultivation, processing, and retail dispensing.” Bailey said he was told that if the board was going to approve one, that it should also approve the other too, and Ieropoli suggested that the limit for both resolutions be set at one operation.

The board ultimately approved both resolutions by votes of 2-1, with Sinsley providing the dissenting vote each time. Sinsley said he voted against the resolution because he was not in favor of permitting any dispensary.

The trustees were also presented with an anonymous letter supporting a dispensary within the township by Cindy Slavens, who said that she was asked to give it to the trustees following their last meeting.

The letter argued that permitting a dispensary in the township was “common sense” and would give residents with medical marijuana prescriptions a closer place to obtain their prescriptions, and recreational users a place to purchase it safely. It also argued it would benefit the township monetarily through the tax revenue it generates.

The board of trustees will meet next at 4 p.m. on March 23.