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Longmont Marijuana license Applications are now under consideration. Now is a good time to stop and ponder, who we want to get the four new license and why. We have an opportunity at the outset to choose the license holders we want. We need to weigh the applicants against our values. How do they fit with the vision, values and goals outlined in the Longmont Envision document and its underlying philosophy? Do we want large, informal enterprises operating with the real ownership and management somewhere else? Do we want corporate operations with many locations in many cities? Do we want to be just one among many? Does this ring of quality and focus?
I say what we want is a retailer who lives in town and manages the business themselves. We want someone who will actively engage in the community. We want the oversight and control that local management and ownership will achieve. One only has to look at the experience Denver has had with out-of-state owners with multiple retail outlets using hired managers. Denver conducted police raids and found illegal sales of product; both out-the-backdoor profiting the manager, and multiple sales to a single person on the same day.
One measure of future success of a business is past performance. We need and desire retailers who are successful in this type of enterprise, with a business history of operation without illegal violations, infractions, offenses, or issues. Do they have a track record of accomplishment in other kinds businesses? Have they been good neighbors? Do they engage and contribute to the community? What is their involvement in the greater business community? Do they deliver a quality service and product?
Finally, we should look to applicants that support development and growth in areas of town that are in need of economic vitality, that make a positive impact in terms of in-fill. Southeast Longmont is such an area in need of in-fill and economic development. Retailers that align with these strategies should be awarded positive license consideration.
We should strive for and choose retailers for marijuana that have had proven track record of success in this line of retail, who are without past legal issues, that deliver a quality product in a quality manner, and who will live in and engage with the community. We need and desire hands-on owner/operators for the retail marijuana licenses being considered.
Ron Gallegos
Longmont, CO
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