The Barryton Village Council agreed to allow negotiations to move forward with a proposed sale of village-owned land to a cannabis business for a cultivation facility. The property in question, a total of 21 acres, was purchased from the USDA for the purpose of installing a sewer system for the village.
During its recent meeting, the board voted 4-0, with one abstention, in favor. Board president James Soriano abstained after council members expressed concerns over a perceived conflict of interest, which stems from Soriano’s association with the business — M66 Group, LLC., from whom he rents a house.
The Council voted to approve the sale of the property to M66 Group for $8,194 per acre, for a total of $119,000 during a meeting in July. However, because the terms of the contract were deemed to be not legal, the vote was made null and void.
“There were some terms that the village council looked at for the sale of the property, a land contract, or some type of financing by the village,” Williams said. “That type of term is not legally authorized for Michigan municipalities. There is a constitutional provision that essentially says cities and villages can not loan money or advance credit for any public or private service except where authorized by law.”
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