The City of Dundas has begun to wrestle with the realities of Minnesota’s legal cannabis laws.
Last week during the Dundas City Council meeting, City Administrator Jenelle Teppen presented an overview of Minnesota’s Adult Use Cannabis Act to educate the Council on the decisions that will have to be made over the next 15-16 months.
The state of Minnesota legalized the recreational use of cannabis for adults as of August 1st, becoming the 23rd state to do so, and the legislation created the brand-new state Office of Cannabis Management. However, that office is still being established, and the state has yet to even name an administrator for the department. Therefore, many of the laws regarding the sale of marijuana and cannabinoid products are not yet applicable. This gap gives municipalities some time to establish their own laws and put them in place.
Teppen said the members of the Council must start thinking about zoning for growing, manufacturing and retail sale of the products as well as any restrictions they would feel are appropriate. There also must be consideration of where the city will allow consumption, and if it will be legal in public places within the Dundas City Limits.
The retail sale concept is an important and complicated issue. The new law does not allow municipalities to ban dispensaries within the city limits, stating that for every 12,500 people in a city, one dispensary must be allowed. However, there are also stipulations for more than five dispensaries in a city or county, and it is unclear how that could affect things. What Teppen does know for certain is any retailer that is licensed in Dundas will be held to the letter of the law.
“I would hazard to guess that they’re not going to be selling it out of the back of Menards or Firehouse Liquors. MGM is not going to be selling it. I think they are going to be standalone places of business that are very well regulated.”
With the Office of Cannabis Management not yet in place, it is likely retailers will not be licensed until January of 2025. For now, the City of Dundas has declared a moratorium on all cannabis products, which is allowed by the state through the end of next year.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dundas City Administrator Jenelle Teppen can be heard here
School District to hire grant writer
The Northfield School District will soon post a job opening for a half-time Grant Writer position.
Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said as the district went through the budget reduction process over the past two years, he was told several times that there are grants available to school districts for specific reasons. In the past those situations have not readily applied to what Northfield Public Schools have been doing because, he said, grant money does not typically supplant money the district has already been using. However, the K-12 Education bill that was passed by the Minnesota Legislature this year offers some $230 million in competitive grants for items and programming in directions the district has already been moving. There are opportunities, he said, to either accelerate the progress of programs they have already been working on, or possibly even save money for the district’s general fund budget.
Hiring a grant-writer, he said, is a forward-thinking idea that many other school districts have yet to consider.
“We just did a little bit of a survey of personnel administrators throughout the state and received very few responses. Most of the ones we did receive said, ‘We should think about that.’ And so, I do think we’ll be on the leading edge. And there is an advantage there, because if you know how the grant systems work, you have an inside track to make sure that you’re able to secure those funds.”
Meanwhile, the district has filled most of its teaching positions, but there are still dozens of hourly positions available. Hillmann said the district has positions available in child nutrition, custodial work, and classroom assistance. But he said the greatest need is for the Ventures program both before and after school for the younger students with working parents.
“That is people who are there early in the morning when parents drop their kids off at school, and then after school until around 6:00, for when parents pick their students up. These are people who are paying for that before and after school childcare. We currently have a wait list of families who would like that service because we just don’t have enough staff.”
There is also a high demand for substitute teachers, he said. Hillmann reminded those interested that they need not be a licensed educator to apply, and if a person with a four-year degree has a desire to try substitute teaching, there are programs through the district to help with that type of licensure.
Anyone interested in a position with the Northfield school district should visit the Northfield Public Schools website at northfieldschools.org.
Council will discuss bond issuance and sale tonight
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight in the Council Chambers in City Hall.
After a ceremony to swear in two new Northfield Police Officers and a new Police Sergeant to begin the meeting, there are just two items on the council’s regular agenda this evening. The first will be the consideration of a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds in the amount of just over $7.8 million to pay for the 2023 street construction projects. The second item will be the consideration of a resolution prioritizing safety and accessibility improvements along Highway 3.
As always, the city and the council are asking to hear opinions and comments from the public. Anyone who wishes to do so is invited to come to the meeting and address the council on any topic they see fit. Those wishing to voice their opinions without addressing the council should email their councilors directly or post a comment through the eComment button on the “Agendas” section of the City Council website.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
