VALATIE—As the Town Board waits for guidance from the state on cannabis dispensaries, Supervisor Patsy Leader announced at the August 2 board meeting that she is forming a committee with the mayors of villages of Kinderhook and Valatie to review the issue. Supervisor Leader asked anyone interested to contact her with a letter of interest.
In March Governor Cuomo signed a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis. As part of the law cities, towns and villages may opt-out of allowing adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries or on-site consumption licenses by adopting a local law by December 31, 2021 or nine months after the effective date of the legislation. “They cannot opt-out of adult-use legalization,” according to the state website of the Office of Cannabis Management.
At the Town Board meeting on Monday, Supervisor Leader said she spoke to the Office of the State Comptroller and Assembly personnel about guidelines. She said the state does not yet have any committees on the issue but that the State Police are planning to giving guidance. She said state police “want to write a whole new thing.”
“I’ll keep you guys posted as much as I can,” she told her board.
Of the local committee with the two villages, Ms. Leader said, “It’s not going to be a big committee.” She will sit on the committee with Mayor Frank Bevens of Valatie and Mayor Dale Leiser of Kinderhook. She said the committee will review the issue and “educate ourselves and our community.”
Both villages are in the town but are separate municipalities and must decide whether to opt out of having cannabis dispensaries. The town and villages would receive 75% of the local retail tax revenue on cannabis and the county would receive 25%, according to the state.
“We are all opted in” to allowing cannabis dispensaries currently, Supervisor Leader said.
“This is the biggest thing—nobody knows where [the dispensaries] can go,” she told the board meeting.
‘I’ll keep you guys posted as much as I can.’
Supv. Patsy Leader
Town of Kinderhook
To contact Supervisor Leader about the committee, email supervisor@kinderhook-ny.gov
Also at the meeting:
* Town Clerk Kim Pinkowski read a letter from the state Department of Taxation and Finance saying the town will receive aid for the Cyclical Reassessment of the 2020 Assessment Roll in amount of $12,833.10. “By your successful completion of these requirements, the taxpayers in your community are receiving the benefits of equitable assessments that reflect current market value,” the letter reads
* The board is now allowing approved groups to use the Martin H. Glynn Municipal Building. The building had been closed for all but functions of the town and Village of Valatie. The gym will again be used by the Kinderhook Basketball Association and Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops will use rooms in the building. The building is owned jointly by the town and the village
* Supervisor Leader said she and Councilman Phil Bickerton met with local firefighters and proposed hosting a “Fire Man Appreciation Day” on October 16. Ms. Leader said some residents think that the firefighters are paid though all the fire companies in the county are volunteers
* The board approved changing the Building Department software to iWorqs at a cost of $6,000 for the set up and an annual fee of $3,500
* The board is looking for new members to join the Climate Smart Committee
* Supervisor Leader announced that the town will host a soccer program this fall from September 18 to October 23. Information is on the town website, www.kinderhook-ny.gov
The next Town Board meeting will be Monday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Glynn Building on 3211 Church Street.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com