Friends of Stevensville is thanking voters for approving a ballot proposal to prohibit marijuana businesses in the village this week. Group founder Mary Jo Tomasini tells us heading into the election, she wasn’t sure how it would go. She’s grateful the residents made their voices heard.
“We didn’t want a marijuana store in Stevensville,” Tomasini said. “There were many people who felt that it was going to hurt the youth, that there’s a high school right down the road, that that wasn’t a good situation. There were several people who felt that we don’t want a business in town that has to operate in cash and has an armed guard in front. We really want a business that was going to attract a broader audience.”
Tomasini says there’s still work to do as the village council will have to find other ways of paying for road repairs than using the intended marijuana tax revenue. She hopes more residents get involved in local government to help find solutions.