WILMINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Wilmington residents will vote on whether to rescind their retail cannabis ordinance this Town Meeting Day. It comes as three other towns– Hinesburg, Fairfax and Stockbridge– will vote on whether to allow retail sales in their communities.
Almost 80 cities and towns across Vermont have approved retail cannabis sales. Wilmington is one of them. There are two pot shops on Main Street. But this Town Meeting Day, residents will decide whether that’s enough.
Wilmington was among the first communities in Vermont to welcome retail cannabis sales. The Matterhorn Apothecary Vermont just celebrated its two-year anniversary.
“Locals have been very supportive, tourists have been very supportive. But you know, it’s very seasonal here,” Horn said.
The store, along with Ratu’s Cannabis Supply down the street, are the town’s two licensed recreational cannabis stores.
“We worry about ourselves, but when you keep adding more and more and more of the same things, obviously it cuts up the pie,” Horn said.
But this town could vote to block future licenses by rescinding its current cannabis ordinance.
“The is just the select board asking voters what do you want to do?” Wilmington Town Manager Scott Tucker said.
The town manager says Wilmington only has one liquor store, which coincidentally is located next to one of the two cannabis outlets.
“If liquor licenses are capped geographically by the state, why aren’t cannabis retail businesses capped?” Tucker said.
Mary Ann Abarno has lived in Wilmington for roughly 60 years.
“I don’t know, I think two is probably enough, we are a really small town,” Abarno said.
Wilmington’s two stores will not be affected either way. Their licenses will be grandfathered in even if the town votes to rescind its ordinance.
“They seem to be doing well. I don’t know if it is attracting more people to town and that is always nice,” Abarno said.
Last fall the state paused handing out licenses because of concerns of over saturation. New retail sales rules at the state level are currently being proposed.
“I’m sure Vermont doesn’t want to have 5,000 dispensaries in a state this small,” Horn said.
Town Meeting Day for this town will take place at the old high school on School Street. Absentee ballots are available at the town clerk’s office.
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Wilmington residents will vote on whether to rescind their retail cannabis ordinance this Town Meeting Day. Our Adams Sullivan reports. Read More
