Raymond Board of Selectmen hold a Special Town Meeting and Public Hearing by Lorraine Glowczak

A crowd gathered at the Broadcast Studio, 423 Webbs Mills Road in Raymond on Tuesday, July 31 to provide public input at a Special Town Meeting and Public Hearing.

The meeting began at 6 p.m. to discuss moratoriums on registered caregiver retail stores as well as on mobile homes in the Limited Residential/Recreational 1 and Limited Residential/Recreational 2 shoreland zoning districts. The public hearing on the proposed referendum question regarding withdrawal from the RSU14 immediately followed.

A vote for and the unanimous election of Joe Bruno as the Special Town Meeting moderator began
the meeting.

First on the agenda was the discussion of the moratorium on registered caregiver retail stores, which is a facility or location where registered medical marijuana caregivers sell harvested marijuana to qualifying patients for medical use through a storefront. The purpose of the moratorium consideration was due to concerns of public safety and welfare, the increased requests for storefronts and the fact that the Town’s existing ordinances do not provide an adequate mechanism for regulation and to control the location and operation of storefronts. This moratorium would be applied for 180 days with possible extension by the Board of Selectmen or would end 90 days after the Legislature adjourns from current special session, of which the Maine Marijuana Act would take affect and supersede the moratorium.

Most of the Raymond citizens who addressed the Board, spoke out against the moratorium, making the argument that medical marijuana provides relief for many ailments. They argued that to limit storefronts could hinder safe use of the product and create cost increases unnecessarily.

After careful consideration, the moratorium on registered caregiver retail stores was voted upon and failed.

The second item on the Special Town Meeting agenda was the discussion regarding the moratorium on mobile homes/manufactured housing in shoreline zoning areas. A majority of the public spoke for the moratorium and it passed. It will be in effect for 180 days. During this time the Town of Raymond will work on developing appropriate land use regulations regarding this form of housing.

The Public Hearing for the Board of Selectmen to receive public input on the proposed referendum question regarding withdrawal from the RSU14 began at 7 p.m.

The referendum was proposed after many expressed concerns about the Board of Education cost-sharing agreement with Windham. The greatest concern regarding this agreement was the recent vote above stated concerns but have not received any responses.
that was passed by Windham residents to build a new Shared-Maintenance Facility Building, located in Windham. “This is a $9.3 million facility of which the Town of Raymond is responsible for paying $1.2 million,” stated Board Selectwoman and Chair, Teresa Sadak. Sadak also stated that the Board has worked with the Town attorneys to have conversations with the school board as well as with the Town of Windham to discuss the

Attorney Daniel Stockford was present and explained the process it takes to withdraw from an RSU.

Concerns and comments from the public were expressed about the withdrawal that included but were not limited to the following: Concerns regarding the quality of Raymond students’ education if
withdrawal occurred, the cost of providing quality education and the loss of sense of community among the students after middle school. It was also suggested to have a plan in place prior to starting any withdrawal process.

All Raymond residents will have an opportunity to vote on this ballot question on Tuesday, August 14 at the Jordan Small Middle School cafeteria. The question to be voted on is as follows:

“Do you favor filing a petition for withdrawal with the Board of Education, authorizing the withdrawal committee to expend $50,000 over 2 years and authorizing the Select Board to issue notes in the name of the Town of Raymond or otherwise pledge the credit of the Town of Raymond in an amount not to exceed $50,000 over 2 years for this purpose?”