City approves medical cannabis licensing ordinance

The Tea City Council met Dec. 6 and approved the second reading of ordinance 289, an ordinance on medical cannabis licensing, this was published in last week’s newspaper.
The council heard from Rose Grant, who was representing a group of businesspeople who were looking at opening a dispensary. Their group was hoping to be able to have a cultivation site lined up, but the city’s ordinance only allows for a medical cannabis dispensary.
Mayor John Lawler said the council’s consensus was to only start with dispensaries at this time. He said it was easier to add in the future than take away.
BJ Olson of Hartford asked when the application period would be open. After discussion, they decided to add a step in their licensing process where the city will do their own lottery to get to the two licenses. They set the application deadline for Dec. 30 and the lottery drawing would be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 3.
They also approved a resolution to set fees for medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
The council heard from developer Herman Otten on a request for cost recovery for sewer main and water main. Lawler said the city’s attorney said the city does not have the authority to do that for private development. Otten said that his attorney disagrees. He has been trying to get in touch with the city’s attorney with no success. The city said they would talk to their attorney to get in touch with Otten’s attorney.
The council heard from Will Heltzel on the building design for McKoy Auto Plaza in the Bakker Landing planned development. After Heltzel explained his adjustments to the exterior design, the council approved the building design.
They approved the pay app for the 85th Street elevated water storage tank from Maguire Iron for $9,770. City administrator Dan Zulkosky said this was the final payment. The only work remaining at the site is landscaping that will be done by the city in the spring.
They also approved the pay app for the Tea Law Enforcement Center from Vision Construction Group for $107,920.
The council held a first reading for ordinance 290, the 2021 supplemental appropriations. The second reading will be at the next meeting.
The council will do employee evaluations before the next council meeting. They also plan to talk about redistricting at the next meeting.