LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen on Tuesday, June 3, voted to reduce the size and appointed some members to the Marijuana Ordinance Committee.

Selectman Ernest Souther said a committee of nine had been discussed, but he recommended a committee of seven. There is more confusion with a larger committee, he noted.

“I am not trying to eliminate anybody’s input,” he said. “If we reduce that to seven it will be more functional. I feel a committee of seven would proceed quicker.”

The original proposal included three marijuana business owners and three residents opposed to them, Souther thought. He felt two from each would be enough in his opinion. He also questioned whether someone from the school district needed to be on the committee since one must be 18 to purchase product.

A district employee was being considered to provide insight on marijuana activity in the schools, not a student, one resident responded. Souther said that should be up to law enforcement and the people who sell it.

On May 20 selectmen approved a committee that would include two Planning Board members, two cannabis business owners, two anti-cannabis residents, and one member each from the Select Board, public safety and school district.

The Marijuana Ordinance Committee will work on a new ordinance after concerns were shared at a hearing on May 7 about one proposed by the Planning Board.

“The makeup of it to me doesn’t make a whole heck of a lot of difference,” Souther stated.

Dana Cummings, who owns Sugar Kush USA medical marijuana retail store on Pleasant Street and a cultivation facility on Baldwin Street noted the selectmen already meet twice a month.

“The whole point of a committee is to take that off your plate and off the Planning Board’s plate, to bring it back to you with a solution,” he said. “I would suggest one selectman, one Planning Board member and then you have got your seven. Let us work it out and bring it back to you.”

Selectmen approved a committee made up of one member each from Select Board, Planning Board and law enforcement plus two business owners and two opposed to cannabis.

Selectmen appointed Mike Shea, an owner of Fish Meadow Cannabis at 93 Main Street to the committee.

“He put in a lot of work leading up to this with the signature collection,” Chair William Kenniston said. “He’s offered a lot of good input.”

Cummings was also appointed to the committee after stating he would be in town for all committee meetings. He conducts Zoom meetings all over the world and that it shouldn’t be an issue, adding that technology should be embraced. Souther responded that he found Zoom to be a distraction.

Michelle Moffett was appointed as the Planning Board representative. She also serves on the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors, thus filling that role, too, Selectman Bruce Peary noted.

Police Chief Abe Haroon and Kenniston were also appointed to the committee.

“We still need to beat the bushes for two anti-marijuana,” Town Manager Carrie Castonguay said.

“We are still lacking two members,” Kenniston stated. “We are going to look into that and bring it back as soon as possible.”