A post from Mayor Murphy regarding the Sale of Cannabis in the Village of Tolono:
The Village of Tolono placed an advisory question on the November 3, 2020 ballot to gauge the opinion of Village residents, whether they would approve or disapprove of the sale of cannabis in the Village.
We have had a couple local business owners approach the Village Board to ask about opening a dispensary. The Village Board has discussed this subject over the course of several meetings (meeting agenda item “Discussion of Cannabis Sales in the Village” on 8/20/19, 9/3/19, 9/17/19, 10/1/19 and 10/15/19). On 2/25/20, the Board held a Special Meeting to discuss the sale of cannabis in the Village of Tolono and asked the public to join. Because the Board did not receive the input from the public we were looking for, the Board decided to put it to a vote so the public could weigh in on this large decision.
On 3/3/20 we added an agenda item to the regular meeting that read “Discussion/Approval of Ordinance 2020-O-5, an Ordinance Imposing a Tax on Cannabis.” The Board passed the ordinance so if cannabis sales passes, we would have a 3% sales tax in place.
On 8/6/20 the Board held a special meeting for the approval of resolution 2020-R-2: A Resolution Providing For The Submission To The Electors Of The Village Of Tolono Of Champaign County, A Certain Advisory Referendum Of Whether Recreational Cannabis Sales Should Be Permitted Within The Village of Tolono.
From the Champaign County Clerks site, this is how the question will look on the ballot:
Village of Tolono – Advisory Referendum on Recreational Cannabis Sales
(Instructions to voters: Fill in the oval opposite the word “yes” or “no” to indicate your choice.)
Question: Shall the Village of Tolono allow a recreational cannabis dispensary within the Village Limits?
Explanation: If residents would like to allow a dispensary within the Village of Tolono, vote yes. If residents do not want a dispensary within the Village of Tolono, vote no.
There is good and bad in every decision. Keep in mind that when making this decision there are many issues to think about. If the resolution passes, I am planning to add extra rules as to what is required with the Village’s license in addition to what the State of Illinois requires. Security is a huge issue, and I’m looking into a public safety fee to offset possible calls for service and extra patrol.
We encourage everyone in the Village of Tolono to vote and make their voice heard. If you have any questions or comments you can reach me at Rob.Murphy@tolonoil.us.