The Hoboken City Council appointed former city Housing Authority Chair Rob Davis to their expanded cannabis review board (CRB) at last night’s meeting.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
During public comment, Manuel Rivera noted that Gary Weinstein, a part of the Last Prisoner Project, was initially on the council agenda, yet ended up being part of the CCB for Monday’s meeting where they approved the Terrapin Care Station dispensary.
“How is that they get directly put on the board, because of the mayor appointing them?,” he asked.
“Correct,” Council President Mike Russo noted.
“The second person does have to go through the council because that is a position appointed by the council, yes?,” Rivera continued.
“Correct,” Russo said again.
“And there will be two more persons appointed to this council?,” Rivera stated.
“There will be one more member appointed by the council and I believe the mayor has one other appointment he has not made,” Russo answered.
Sponsored by Russo, the resolution appointing Davis was passed unanimously (8-0) as part of the consent agenda, with 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher absent.
The Hoboken CRB was expanded from the three members, Russo, Business Administrator Jason Freeman, and Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini, to seven last month, making them the first municipality in the county to do so.
Two new members will be appointed by the mayor, while two new members will be appointed by the council. The governing body was expanded in the wake of some backlash against Story dispensary.
Also during the city council meeting, adult-use cannabis micro dispensary Blue Violets co-founder applicant Max Thompson petitioned the council to consider their resolution approving their business to operate.
“We should have received our resolution after our CRB endorsement back in April and now it’s almost August,” he said.
“In supporting us, you’d be supporting Hoboken’s only micro applicant, a local small business that will give back to this community in more ways than required.”
Thompson noted they might not be heard by the Planning Board for at least two months, which has delayed the process.
“The Planning Board decided in our favor allowing our application to continue. We have no reason to believe the planning board won’t approve our application after our hearing,” he noted.
Thompson continued that the delay is “eating away at our savings, putting the success of our store in jeopardy. The other applicants will use their millions to wait this out. We simply do not have those resources.”
The meeting was uncharacteristically short by Hoboken council standards, adjourning after only about 45 minutes.
Guess Mister Carmelo wasn’t available. I knew this smelled of Russo right out of the gate.
He’s trying to build his Hoboken Soprano empire. Too many fools on the council to try and stop it.
It’s a damn shame.
Russo has been handed control of both the HHA and the canabis board. The price of Backroom Bhalla’s 5th vote. The Soprano State is alive and well in Hoboken. But who’s the boss?
Who once reportedly controlled the Church Towers waiting list ?
Who now reportedly controls the HHA waiting list ?