Toms River Council Again Tables Retail Marijuana Ban

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River Township Council again tabled a proposed ordinance that would ban all retail recreational marijuana businesses in the township.

The council now is scheduled to reconsider the ordinance on July 13. In the meantime, a committee that will include Councilwoman Laurie Huryk will meet to discuss potential changes to the ordinance. When the council tabled the proposed ordinance on May 11, the goal was to set up a committee of community members to discuss the matter.

The proposed ordinance would ban any retail sales, distribution, or delivery services from setting up shop in the township. It was introduced in May but tabled for further discussion. The proposed ordinance does not ban delivery services from other towns from delivering cannabis to Toms River residents; it bars delivery services from basing their operations in Toms River. You can read the proposed ordinance here.

Council President Kevin Geoghegan said at Wednesday's meeting that Councilman Dan Rodrick, who voted against tabling the ordinance, would be serving on the committee as well, but on Friday Rodrick said he would not participate.

"Tonight was the date given, so that is why it does appear on the agenda," Geoghegan said. "Unfortunately government doesn't work quick on anything."

The remainder of the committee will be selected Tuesday at a meeting of the council's land use committee, Geoghegan said.

Rodrick said he would not participate in the committee because "I made it clear I do not support recreational sales in town. Official committee assignments are made at the beginning of the year. Anything else would have to be volunteer."

"He never asked me to participate. If he did, I would have said no as I have been very clear that I do not support recreational sales," Rodrick said.

Geoghegan said the committee assignment was made at an executive committee meeting that Rodrick did not attend.

"Just like at the beginning of the year, the council president assigns members to committees," Geoghegan said.

Council Vice President Maria Maruca also opposed tabling the ordinance again, saying she would have preferred to have the ban passed and then have the ordinance revised the committee meets.

"I feel like we're under the gun (to pass township restrictions) with the August date," Maruca said.

New Jersey voters approved adult recreational marijuana use in the November 2020 election, and in February the state Legislature finalized a law defining the process cannabis businesses must go through to be able to operate in towns across the state. Under that state law, towns that do not pass an ordinance by Aug. 22 will be barred from banning the retail sale for five years.

Huryk and Councilmen Terrance Turnbach, Matthew Lotano, Joshua Kopp and Geoghegan voted to table the ordinance.

Speakers at the May 11 meeting and in April said the town needs to craft its own ordinance instead of relying on a draft ordinance written by the New Jersey League of Municipalities, and urged council members to rethink a total ban.

Hugh Giordano, a representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which represents cannabis workers, has urged the town to reconsider the ban because the industry will create jobs that he said "offer good pay and benefits, and will grow the middle class. He has called the ban an attack on working people.

This article has been updated to include statements from Rodrick that he will not serve on the committee discussing the ordinance.

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