Eatontown Borough Council members will write letters of support for three entities that seek state approval to open and operate an alternative treatment center in Eatontown.
An alternative treatment center would specialize in the sale of medical marijuana to treat illnesses that have been diagnosed by medical professionals.
Applications submitted to the state, which has the authority to grant approval for an entity to operate an alternative treatment center, do not guarantee that any group that submits an application will be permitted to open shop in a municipality.
During an Aug. 8 council meeting, Ocean Township resident Peter Corallo and his family became the first people to seek municipal support to open and operate East Coast Wellness LLC, a holistic treatment center in Eatontown.
After listening to a presentation from Corallo, municipal officials said they would support the family’s initiative by submitting a letter of support to the state.
Two weeks later, when the council met on Aug. 22, representatives of four more entities approached the governing body to ask for support for their plan to open an alternative treatment center in Eatontown.
Following several hours of discussion, the council members said they would support two of the four newest proposals. The two entities gaining support were Galenas and a second entity who is requesting to remain anonymous.
The representatives of those entities said a letter of support from a municipal governing body would be a positive endorsement on the application that will be submitted to state officials.
At the same time, members of the council denied letters of support for Highline LLC and Doctors Institute for Compassionate Care. Council members said they would only provide the formal documentation to the entities they believed were well prepared to operate such a business.
Applications to open an alternative treatment center must be reviewed and approved by state officials before further action may be taken at the municipal level.
Representatives of the entities that addressed the council on Aug. 22 said state officials have indicated they plan to award certifications for an additional two alternative treatment centers in northern New Jersey, two in central New Jersey, and two in southern New Jersey.
The formal documentation that will be submitted to state officials outlines support from the community and permits business owners to move forward with their applications.
At present, there are six alternative treatment centers operating in three regions of New Jersey. Individuals and entities have until Aug. 31 to file an application to operate a new alternative treatment center. Decisions on the matter are scheduled to be announced on Nov. 1.
The representatives of the four entities who attended the Aug. 22 meeting said they had been developing their requests and were now ready to formally present their business proposals to the council.
“I have been getting letters inquiring about marijuana for the whole year,” Mayor Dennis Connelly said. “As soon as (Phil Murphy became governor), I was getting letters. I said at the (Aug. 8) meeting, ‘Why are we looking ay one candidate when there are numerous candidates out there?’ (People) reached out to me. I didn’t reach back … I’m probably not as accepting (of marijuana) as everyone else who is up here.”
Connelly said he is not opposed to the sale of medical marijuana, but did take issue with the idea of operating an alternative treatment center in Eatontown.
The representatives of the four proposed businesses asked the council to create a blanket letter of support stating that any entity that wishes to apply to own and operate a holistic treatment center in Eatontown would be granted approval from the council.
That request prompted Councilwoman Patricia May Kelly to say, “We don’t want to give out support until we know more about these people.”
“Doesn’t this seem a little forced?” Councilman Anthony Talerico said as council members continued to go back and forth on the matter.
After hours of debate among council members, residents and the representatives of the potential alternative treatment centers, council members agreed to consider writing an individual letter of support.
The individuals representing the four entities had the opportunity to present their business plans to the governing body.
One interested audience member was Oceanport resident Jeffrey Oakes, who is battling cancer.
“You guys have been arguing about me,” Oakes said. “I have cancer. From a patient’s perspective, we are waiting way too long. My good friend Lauren sat in the chair next to me during (our) chemotherapy for weeks. She couldn’t afford her medication. She passed away.
“We can’t stand to wait any longer,” Oakes continued. “This is something I can grow in my backyard. I can grow this weed. I don’t need anyone’s help to save my life. I can do it myself. Yet, my disease is being treated like bank account or a commodity. This isn’t about money. This is about life or death.”
Other residents who spoke took issue with the potential legalization of what some people refer to as recreational marijuana. They said allowing medical marijuana to be distributed to medical patients may be “opening the door” to the recreational use of a substance that is currently illegal.
The council members said they would write the three letters of support, but said if a plan for an alternative treatment center in Eatontown is to advance, they want such a business to be operated in a currently available site along or near Industrial Way.