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The City of Wyoming is going into the retail adult use cannabis business.  

Council members, with Brett Ohnstad absent last week and member Linda Nanko Yeager opposed; approved a contract with a  consulting operations firm Great White Companies LLC.  It specializes in working for municipalities in handling all store particulars, and the city will be the cannabis license holder.

The action supporting the five year contract is a little premature— as there is no store location identified yet.  City Administrator Robb Linwood said the consultants are visiting locations and once a lease is negotiated, there should be something to announce soon.  

Under terms approved last week, the city will receive 40 percent of the proceeds.  Great White gets 60 percent.  The firm’s role involves everything from hiring,  and acquiring inventory, to operations tasks, compliance with state regulations, security and purity of product, etc.   

Linwood reminded council this municipal operation does not preclude there being a second non-government operation. 

Wyoming Council had adopted ordinances regulating cannabis sales, prohibiting public uses and made two licenses available.  

The council also amended the ordinance (on another 3-1 vote) relative to cannabis business distance from daycare centers.  

The council, with member Nanko Yeager opposed, eliminated the 500 feet earlier mandated between daycares and a cannabis sales business.   There is no similar mandate for a buffer on other regulated products (ie: liquor) relative to daycares, so council agreed this seemed arbitrary.   Member Dennis Schilling commented there is “no point” to imposing that buffer in this situation.

The Wyoming ordinance basically prohibits cannabis related business from residential areas; and allows wholesale or larger cannabis related land uses in industrial and ag zones, while commercial retail sites can be in the commercial business district, the office and mixed use zones.

Mayor Lisa Iverson asked about how the city will spend proceeds, and if a dedicated fund needs to be established.

Linwood said that aspect remains “up for discussion.”

The state recreational adult use statute set up a 10 percent special tax on cannabis sales in Minnesota, in addition to the existing 7 percent and whatever local option sales tax is in effect (Chisago County has a half-percent) 

The state also set up a local aid system for sharing revenues with cities that have retail cannabis in their boundaries— pulled from half of the local aid share of the 10 percent.  But there is legislative discussion about deleting this sharing.  The actual expected revenues from a Wyoming Municipal Cannabis operation then are still  unidentified.

In the half-hour long meeting the city council also observed the swearing in for newly hired Officer Logan Strang. (See Press update April 3) 

A public works hire was approved for $36.21 an hour, the result of bringing lots of experience to the position. Staff reported there were 36 applicants.  Council member Nanko Yeager voted no on this hire.

In the half-hour long meeting the city council also observed the swearing in for newly hired Officer Logan Strang. (See Press update April 3) 

A public works hiree was approved for $36.21 an hour, the result of bringing lots of experience to the position. Staff reported there were 36 applicants.  Council member Nanko Yeager voted no on this hire.

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