Voting was slow, but steady, at Crescent Park School Tuesday morning. Bethel Citizen photo by Alison Aloisio
BETHEL — On Tuesday, Bethel residents voted in favor of all nine marijuana ordinances and the plastic bag ordinance.
The final tally for the plastic bag was 287-124.
For Marijuana the ordinances the votes went as followed: adult use cultivation – yes 256 – no 148, adult use retail storefront – yes 236 – no 172, adult use manufacturing – yes 245 – no 159, adult use testing – yes 235 – no 168, medical dispensary – yes 274 – no 127, medical caregiver retail – yes 258 – no 142, medical manufacturing – yes 253 – no 146, medical testing – yes 248 – no 151 and medical cultivation – yes 263 – no 136.
Plastic Bag
The plastic bag ordinance is a “commitment to eliminate single use plastic bags and foam food and beverage containers.” The main purpose of the proposed ordinance is to “reduce the impact of plastics on our environment, reduce litter on our roadsides, and reduce taxpayer expense to manage solid waste.”
The ordinance would ban the use of single-use carry-out plastic bags and polystyrene foam containers by town businesses. At their June 3 meeting, selectmen unanimously approved making the effective date for the plastic bag ordinance Jan. 11, 2020, which would be six months after the town vote. Fines would be $75 for first offense and double for second.
“I am very happy it passed, I am really proud of our community,” Mason resident Maddie Williams said. ”
Williams brought the ordinance to the town along with Bethel resident Sarah Southam.
“I am very excited that so many people came out and supported this,” Southam said. “I am looking forward to working with the community to help implement this.”
Marijuana
The four possible businesses for adult-use marijuana are: marijuana retail stores, marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana manufacturing facilities and marijuana testing facilities.
The five possible businesses for medical marijuana are: medical marijuana testing facilities, caregiver retail stores, cultivation facilities, dispensaries and manufacturing facilities.
With the approved ordinances, the businesses will have to follow the state and local regulations.
SAD 44
SAD 44 voters approved validating the FY 2020 school budget with a tally of 467-128 . All four towns voted in favor with Bethel 269-137, Greenwood 42-8, Newry 43-7 and Woodstock 67-13. The budget had been approved district-wide at a May 29 budget meeting. Voters also approved continuing the two-step budget approval process in the future 467-128, and again all four towns were in favor with Bethel 269-137, Greenwood 42-8, Newry 35-14 and Woodstock 64-15.
Incumbent Carol Everett (435 votes) and Jamie Hastings (424 votes) were both elected for three-year terms on the school board. No one else ran for the two open spots for Bethel.
Incumbent David Bartlett of Newry was re-elected for a three-year term. Bartlett ran unopposed and got 470 votes.
For Greenwood, Erin Cooley (460 votes) and Chasity Lake (428 votes) were elected for three and one-year terms respectively. There were no other challengers for the seats.
In Woodstock, Marcy Winslow defeated Bob McQueeney 261-189 to earn the one open seat for a three-year term.
Other news
Michele Varuolo Cole and incumbent Andy Whitney were both elected for three-year terms as Bethel Selectmen. Both were running unopposed. Varuolo Cole received 305 votes, while Whitney received 279.
Assessor Stan Howe was re-elected, receiving 344 votes. Neil Scanlon was also elected to the Bethel Board of Assessors for a three-year term, getting 42 write-in votes. The seat had been vacant.
Scanlon also serves on the planning board.
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