Cannabis dispensary waits for approval of address change

Nov. 23, 2020 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – While 6 Bricks, the only locally-owned and operated cannabis dispensary has started construction of its new facility on the first floor of The Republican building, city officials have still not taken action on the address change in the Host Community Agreement, and one city councilor sees the delay as “another example of systematic injustices that minorities face nationally and locally.”

The discission about the change in address broke a day before the Liberty dispensary opened in Springfield. Owned by Holistic Industries, the California-based company operates locations in California, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania and two other locations in Massachusetts.

6 Bricks already has a provisional license, as well as being named by the Cannabis Control Commission as a company allowed to deliver cannabis for its own operation as well as other dispensaries. Originally slated to go into a building at the Gasoline Alley complex on Albany Street, the company’s CEO and founder Payton Shubrick had explained Reminder Publishing earlier this fall the decision to move was made because of requiring a facility that could be adapted to meet the retail requirements brought on by the pandemic.

Shubrick’s plan is to have the dispensary open in the first quarter of next year.

6 Bricks has the distinction of being owned by a local company and by a minority company led by a woman.

William Baker, Mayor Domenic Sarno’s communications director, explained to Reminder Publishing the mayor is waiting for any input for the New North Citizens Council about the dispensary being in downtown.

According to the mayor’s office, 6 Bricks “conducted a community outreach meeting on September 23, 2020 on the plans for the newly proposed location, and met with the New North Citizen’s Council on November 10, 2020.”

Baker said that once the comments from the council are delivered to the mayor’s office, Chief of Staff Tom Ashe will then present the information to Sarno’s internal review team.

Sarno stated, “Again, I want to make it clear that we are very sensitive to social justice issues surrounding this industry.  Also, just as important and sensitive and as was done with our first round and out of respect to our neighborhood councils, is their input.  I am currently awaiting the New North Citizens Council recommendations and then in turn with our internal committee will review and craft a Host Community agreement to be sent forward to the city council for their consideration of a special permit.”

The delay in approving the change of address caught the attention of one of the members of the Commission, who sent a letter to city officials that offered her assistance. Commissioner Shaleen Tile wrote, “The Commission is charged by state law (St. 2017, ch.55) with ensuring the meaningful participation in the cannabis industry of communities disproportionately affected by the enforcement of previous cannabis laws, small businesses, and companies led by people of color, women, veterans, and farmers.  So, it’s my goal to help as many Social Equity Program participants and Economic Empowerment Applicants as well as women/minority/veteran-owned businesses as possible to operate in our state.

“I understand that you are considering a change of address for one such business, 6 Bricks.  I hope you will take this letter into consideration and if there is any information I can provide for you about the process for changes in location at the state level, which happens often, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

City Councilor Tracye Whitfield also released a statement about the change of address. She wrote, “As the only city councilor on the Internal Marijuana Review Committee, I am compelled to reply about the procedures set by the Internal Marijuana Review committee.

“In the RFP, community input was just one of the deciding factors along with traffic studies, security procedures, parking etc. However, it was not the only determination factor of the application selection process. Of course, letters of support from local business, neighborhood councils and other organizations were taken into consideration but, as mentioned, they are not the sole determining factor.  

“Furthermore, the proposed location is in the Metro area of Springfield. I fail to understand why Mayor Sarno would hold up the only women owned social equity applicant for a recommendation letter from a neighborhood council in a neighborhood where the proposed location is not housed.  This is another example of systematic injustices that minorities face nationally and locally.”

Shubrick released the following statement to Reminder Publishing: “The 6 Brick’s team and I are very eager to appear before the Springfield City Council and present our detailed plans for a change of address to the city of Springfield. We have worked long and hard for this opportunity with the input of so many in the community. We have spent considerable time and effort, have built a team of experts from across the industry and in the design of a state-of-the-art dispensary, as well as having spent considerable financial resources.

“6 Bricks, LLC, is one of the few minority-women-owned cannabis entities in the state and the only one in Springfield. 6 Bricks is also a family-owned business. We worked very hard and were proud to have earned approval of the mayor and the city of Springfield’s Cannabis Committee in July of 2019. The city’s approval process was extraordinary in setting a high standard for applicants and transparency. We went on to earn a coveted Provisional License to operate our family business from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission this past summer. Through the process, we have often been competing with large, multi-state, corporations.

“We did not make our decision to change address lightly. We worked diligently to find the best potential location and have found that site at 1860 Main Street. Given the harsh realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, curbside pick-up is the new and necessary standard of the industry. This new location, far from any residential homes or schools in the city’s metro downtown neighborhood, will allow us to conduct a curbside operation that will ensure the safety of our customers, the community, my family and our staff.

“We hope to have the opportunity we have worked so hard for, that our change of address petition will be heard by the city council this month. We also hope to appropriately receive an amended Host Agreement from the mayor reflecting the address change. As the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has provided for, a change of address is permitted and encouraged when circumstances or better public service is the result.

“We are as committed and dedicated to this new business in our hometown. We have met with our potential new neighbors both socially-distanced in person and in a public community meeting on Zoom as required by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. In addition to that public meeting, where we heard no opposition, we have met separately in video Zoom meetings with the neighborhoods near our proposed site, both with the Liberty Heights Citizen’s Council and New North Citizen’s Council.”

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