Macon Reporter

Village of Harristown Board of Trustee met June 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

TOWN HALL Special Meeting

The Village of Harristown Board of Trustees held a town hall meeting at 185 N. Kembark St, Harristown, IL to approve grant for skid steer and discuss cannabis items/issues. Trustees Teresa Acree, Jay Trusner, Kourt Mooney, Larry Ditty, Kevin Vessels, Les Jenkins, Clerk Penny Allen and Mayor Evelyn Deverell were present.. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public hearing is required for equipment grant for the skid steer. ARPAF money was received and will used some of this money and grant money for the skid steer. Cost of the skid steer is $70,000; grant is for at least $12,000. They could possibly consider more. This would allow safer mowing at sewer plant. People in attendance were in favor of this. A visitor questioned if village has money to make up the difference.

This meeting will also be an informational meeting regarding craft growery. If any visitors wish to address the board, they need to sign in; will listen to all questions.

Trustee Mooney asked Mayor to elaborate more on the skid steer; all money for this will be covered? Mayor Deverell stated yes, grant money and ARPAF will cover it; nothing from general fund.

At 6:57 pm, the discussion of craft growery/cannabis was opened up.

Krishna Balakrishna was present to discuss. Liz Skinner, the mayor of Develan IL joined the meeting via zoom. Rose Hupp owns the land where they want to build this.

Krishna gave an overview of what he would like to do. He is from Bloomington, IL. He won the lottery for a dispensary in Macon County but has not received this license yet. He did receive his license for the growery and would like to build it at Western and Harristown Blvd. He does not have the architectural plans yet. Visitor Mr. Marsh questioned, once everything is released, when will it be going up? Krishna said the state gives him 180 days to get up and running.

Liz Skinner discussed the facility in their town. Develan is a small conservative community. The facility was built and employees approximately 180 employees. City brings in around $300,000 annually and the school gets $100,000 annually. She stated Krishna is a straight forward, honest person and a pleasure to work with. She feels this is a great opportunity for Harristown.

Visitor Donna Brown asked how close the facility in Develan is to a residential area? Liz said the cultivation center is approximately ¼ mile from a subdivision. Steve Shepard asked if this will affect property value? Visitor Judy Blakenship said this is ¼ mile away, not in a neighborhood like Harristown’s will be. Visitor Mrs. Marsh asked if there is an increase in crime? Liz said no. There is a police force and the State of Illinois is very strict on guidelines. No problems at all; no negatives. Money is all TIF. They built a new water tower and can provide incentives to other businesses. Visitor Janice Endrizzi questioned what the building would look like. Krishna said it would be completely enclosed, no windows, one access door, fenced and will be a pole barn/metal building. Cameras will be inside and out and must be stored for 90 days. Visitor Blakenship questioned if there would be a lounge?

Mayor Deverall said at this time just a growery. Krishna said growery only for now and plan to put a lounge with a dispensary. Visitor Ron Hurst asked about the positive effect on schools? Liz said at Develan, $100,000 to school for one year and was able to build a daycare center. Trustee Kevin Vessels asked if there are any odors? Liz said she drives twice a day by there and she has never smelled anything. You can if you go in, but not by driving by. She had a couple residents say they could smell it driving by but she never has. Krishna stated odor control is needed to follow state guidelines. Visitor Maurice Doyle questioned Develan does not have a dispensary? Mayor Deverell said that is correct; they have a cultivating center, no dispensary. Krishna said the difference between a cultivating facility is the footage; cultivating is 20,000 feet and a growery is less. All inside, no outside growing. The building could be expanded if needed, there is room at the sight to do that. Visitor Monica Squibb asked to be shown where the fence would be. The entrance would be off of Western Ave.. A question was asked, why in residential area? Mrs. Hupp said this is farm property and zoned commercial. Visitor Pam Shepherd said she walked the neighborhood in January and asked how neighbors felt. Two were ok with it but rest were not. They have kids and don’t want in their neighborhood. Visitor Rose Ross asked why not put where Parks wanted it? Mayor stated some people wanted to lease; they looked at several properties. Visitor Ashley Murphy thinks this will be great for community but does not like location; with it could be in another location. Would a stoplight be installed? Krishna said that would be up to IDOT but he would push for it to be installed. Security is 24/7 as per state guidelines. Visitor Brian Miller said there are a couple businesses across the street and doesn’t see an issue with crowd/traffic; people will immediately turn into facility. Visitor Rose Ross said this is close to residents property and the zoning should listen to the residents. Visitor Mr. Nave asked how many would be allowed in at one time? Krishna said a typical dispensary allows no more 10-15 people for security. He said cannot sell more than 30 grams per person per day. Visitor Monica asked about a lounge how many leave high? Krishna said no data showing but if someone is high, will not be allowed to consume more. Not more than 25 inside; separate from dispensary, cannot be connected. Visitor Maurice Doyle asked if he is asking for all three? Mayor Deverell said the property is zoned commercial and the village approved cannabis in 2019. This variance is about the distance of a growery. A dispensary and a lounge is within our current ordinance. Visitor Mr. Terry said cliental will not be from town; will be high end people. Visitor Mrs. Shepherd stated a retired police officer told her this is asking for problems; people will come and buy and take back to Decatur. Mayor Deverell discussed the lounge she went to in Sessar, IL. She said the cliental was 30-70 years old. You cannot sell in a lounge, you have to bring your own. No TV, just sit around and talk and play games. They did have a small cover charge to get in. Visitor Mrs. Brown said she is for this, just not in the neighborhood. She asked where are they to go from here to have more say? Mayor Deverell said it is zoned correctly, business/commercial, and an ordinance has been passed so it is in the Boards hand. The concrete zoning was turned down because of the type of business. Visitor Mr. Terry questioned if a request could be filed with IDOT for an entrance? Krishna said yes absolutely but he doesn’t want to promise he would be able to get; but he will ask state for entrance off of 36. Visitor Ron Hurst said good schools attract people; we need a school that can compete and this money would help. Mayor Deverell pointed out that village does not access property taxes; if have property taxes, then everyone pays. If have a bar, restaurant, etc, we get taxes but not everyone has to pay. Visitor Rose Ross said businesses is what has kept Harristown growing. Visitor Mr. Shepherd discussed how his son started with pot, now alcohol. For people that think pot doesn’t do anything they are wrong. He does not want in his neighborhood and he will move out. Not against it, just against the location. Don’t want in residential area. Trustee Jay Trusner asked what kind of traffic would growery be? Krishna said it would be a small sprinter van. Visitor Mrs. Blakenship said Western is a dead end; a lot of people may object if pull into neighborhood and see dispensary. Visitor Mr. Hurst said with the revenue, we could have our own police department. Trustee Jay Trusner said he is not against a dispensary and growery. He was shocked at the security at the facility he visited. Higher end people were there and the stuff they sell there is more expensive. Visitor Mrs. Shepherd questioned if this facility in Springfield was in a residential area? No, it was not replied Trustee Trusner. Visitor Mrs. Brown questioned the board how they would feel if they lived catty corner or across from a lounge/growery? They need to think about this before allowing. Visitor Mr. Shepherd stated last time they had board members listen to them when the neighborhood did not want a concrete plant; he hopes the elected board listens to the residents this time. Trustee Vessels said the people that against growery are just against where it is going. Visitor Ricky Whitney said she doesn’t understand the traffic issue that people are referring to. It is a none descriptive building / no windows. Visitor Duane Shepherd asked board members if they want in their backyard. Trustee Acree said she would be fine with it.

Meeting adjourned at 8:34 pm

https://villageofharristown.com/2022-1