LEMONT, IL — After several meetings of discussion and debate about recreational cannabis dispensaries in town, the Lemont village board has approved a resolution for two different advisory referenda.
At its Dec. 9 meeting, the board approved an advisory question asking residents if the town should dedicate resources to fund the village’s police unfunded pension liability; and an advisory question asking residents if the town should allow recreational cannabis dispensaries in the village.
Mayor John Egofske called the issue of allowing a recreational cannabis in Lemont „a money issue.”
„We have debt that consists of bonds, we have debt that consists of unfunded pension liability,” Egofske said. „The pension liability is mainly our police pension.”
According to board documents, should a dispensary be allowed in the village, the board has committed to dedicate the revenues from a facility to its unfunded police pension liability.
„When I say this is a money issue, we do not have any excess revenues to take care of these unfunded pensions,” Egofske said.
„We would love to hire more police,” Egofske said. „…we just cannot afford it.” He added the village owes $10 million in debt for pensions (police and IMRF); and the police pension is funded at over 70 percent.
The two referenda questions on the ballot will be:
Shall the village of Lemont, in counties of Cook, Will and DuPage, Illinois dedicate resources to fund its unfunded police pension liability?
Shall the village of Lemont, in counties of Cook, Will and DuPage, Illinois allow the operation of a recreational cannabis (marijuana) dispensary within its jurisdiction?
Several residents at the Dec. 9 meeting asked the trustees and mayor for their personal opinions about allowing a dispensary.
„I don’t have enough information right now,” Egofske said. He added that more information will be available after Jan. 1, and the village will be able to see revenue from other towns.
„A referendum will tell us the true picture of what everyone feels,” Egofske said.
Trustee Dave Maher shared that his vote was a 'yes’ for a dispensary.
„I’m looking for more information as well, but right now, my vote is a yes,” he said. „My vote is a yes because the state actually is saying it’s legal; so we don’t control whether it’s going to be in our communities or not, whether it will be in our schools or not.”
„My discussions over the last three months with our constituents is showing an overwhelming support for a dispensary in Lemont,” Maher said.
„I got a chance here to wait and see, let’s wait and see,” Trustee Rick Sniegowski said.
No other village board members shared their opinions about allowing recreational dispensaries in Lemont.
The board also approved an ordinance creating a temporary moratorium on the processing or consideration of any applications to locate a cannabis dispensary in the village. Board documents state the moratorium is being enacted so the board can receive additional information on the topic and additional feedback from village residents.
The moratorium will run through April 30, 2020. Board documents state the village has not received any applications seeking to locate a marijuana dispensary or other type of cannabis business in the town.
Patch has reached out to individual board members for their opinions on the issue.
Both referenda will appear on the March 17, 2020 ballot.