Thompson Township Trustees voted 2-1 March 18 to lift a moratorium on cannabis businesses, opening the door for a potential dispensary in the township.
Thompson Township Trustees voted 2-1 March 18 to lift a moratorium on cannabis businesses, opening the door for a potential dispensary in the township.
The moratorium was enacted shortly after voters approved Issue 2 in August 2024, legalizing marijuana for adults 21 and older. The law included a provision allocating 3.6% of marijuana sales tax revenue to host communities, though that provision remained under state review until late 2025.
Now, Ohio townships with dispensaries are eligible to receive funds from marijuana sales.
Last Wednesday, trustees Justin Falcone and Joe Jirousek voted to lift the ban, allowing for the possibility of a single dispensary in Thompson. Falcone said the decision reflects voters’ wishes while providing a potential new revenue source.
“It (Issue 2) passed at the state level, it passed at the county level and it passed in Thompson Township, the majority vote was a yes for it,” said Falcone in a March 20 phone interview. “Townships do not make any money from sales tax in the state of Ohio. (Marijuana dispensaries are) the only business where it’s specified that the townships can make some extra money.”
Falcone noted the original law allowed communities to impose moratoriums or limit the number of dispensaries.
“In the very beginning, Thompson did vote for a moratorium, saying basically, ‘We don’t want this in our township,’” he added.
Trustees initially opposed allowing a dispensary while the tax revenue provision remained uncertain. After the state finalized the policy with the passage of Senate Bill 56 and neighboring communities began receiving funds, Falcone decided to bring forward the resolution to lift the moratorium.
“All of a sudden, cities were getting big checks and they’re going to continue to,” he said, adding communities hosting dispensaries now receive monthly payments deposited into their general funds.
Potential Benefits
Falcone believes the potential revenue could help offset rising costs and reduce reliance on property taxes, especially as a statewide movement to abolish property taxes continues to loom.
“A lot of people come in (to trustee meetings) and are not happy with the condition of the roads, or this and that, and it all comes down to money for every township,” he said. “Every township would love to be on top of everything, have the nicest equipment and pay their employees a healthy hourly rate. Well, when they’re threatening to take away property tax and you need to try to find money wherever you can, I see this as a way for the township to have some extra income.”
Before introducing the measure, Falcone said he researched the fiscal and public safety impacts of dispensaries in nearby communities.
“Painesville Township had basically one store operating at the time (and) when that money got released, they got $537,000 from August of 2024 to November of 2025,” Falcone said. “That’s a huge check that goes right into their general fund.”
In a follow-up email, Falcone added, “This additional revenue from cannabis sales could offset general cost increases and lessen the need for additional taxpayer-funded levies. Asking taxpayers for more money to fund basic services is never an easy ask, so any way that we can reduce that need is a positive thing. You can kind of help figure your budget a little easier when that money is coming in monthly.”
Falcone emphasized that lifting the moratorium does not guarantee a dispensary will open.
“To get rid of the moratorium, that’s all we’re doing. We originally passed the moratorium which blocked those businesses from coming into the township,” he said. “I see it as, you’re just unlocking the door. You’re allowing the business to come in as long as they’re following the zoning laws and the laws of the state.”
Jirousek, who seconded the measure, agreed the move creates an opportunity but no certainty.
“There’s no guarantee we’re going to get this right off the bat,” Jirousek said in a March 21 phone interview. “It sure as heck would help with the road department, tremendously.”
Jirousek said he understands some residents’ trepidation, but pointed to strict regulations governing dispensaries.
“The older generation used to think that this was the gateway drug, but, number one, it wouldn’t be legal if that were the case. Number two, everything we’re going to do is going to be legal,” Jirousek said. “These dispensaries are almost like Fort Knox, they have their own security guards, everything is done by the book, they only let two or three people in at a time. It’s all legit, 110%.”
Jirousek said any additional revenue would benefit township services.
“I’m close to 50 years in retail business, so I know any little extra income helps everywhere,” he said. “That’s the way I look at it, the income will help the roads tremendously, it’ll help everything. It will probably create a few little headaches here and there, (but) the hardest thing will be trying to educate the people on all the cannabis guidelines.
“People aren’t going to be robbing the place and it’s not going to be a place where kids hang out,” he added.
Character & Zoning Concerns
Joe Cindric cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about zoning and community character.
“I voted against it to protect our residential neighborhoods,” Cindric said in a March 22 phone interview. “I want to be clear, I voted against it, but I’m not judging anybody’s choice to use marijuana or anything like that. That’s up to any adult, I just want to protect the kids. Our township has put families, safety, community character first and I don’t think a dispensary aligns with what the residents feel represents us.”
Cindric said existing zoning restrictions could pose challenges for a potential dispensary.
“If you look at our state’s rules, our entire commercial district is basically off-limits because we have a church, library, a park, ballfields, they’re all in the commercial district, which only leaves the residential areas and no matter where you put it in residential areas, you’re going to be close to families and children,” Cindric said. “Our zoning was never designed for this kind of business, so it looks like you’re going to need to rezone something, which will most likely be residential.”
In a follow-up email, Cindric expanded on his concerns.
“This isn’t about judging anyone’s personal choices, it’s about what makes sense for Thompson as a whole,” he said. “Bigger cities with larger commercial areas and more police officers are simply better equipped to handle the impacts that may come with this type of business. Our zoning was never designed for it and if we would have to twist the rules to make it fit, that’s a sign to me it doesn’t belong here.
“Thompson is a rural, family-oriented place and a dispensary just doesn’t match that character,” he added. “For a township our size, the added traffic, enforcement concerns and the message it sends to our young people outweigh any modest financial benefit. Every other community in our county has reached the same conclusion. We probably should have waited to vote so more residents could share their views, but they’ll still have another chance during the rezoning process.”
Falcone, however, argued that hosting a dispensary and maintaining the township’s character do not have to be mutually exclusive.
“I’m not looking to develop Thompson into shopping plazas or industrial parkways,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for the township to benefit and make a little money to benefit the people in the township. People are buying this stuff already and they’re driving somewhere else to go get it and they’re driving through Thompson to spend their money somewhere else. If this business is set up in our township, those people would drive to our township to spend money.”
He said he also consulted nearby communities about potential impacts.
“I called around to the places around us, checking police reports, asking if there were lots of problems in the parking lots or inside stores. They reported no issues,” Falcone said. “There are certain rules on how they (dispensaries) have to be set up for security. You know, it’s a huge investment for the business and the owners are going to take their precautions, as well, when they’re setting up. They’re dealing with a large amount of money and you want to protect that. And there’s been no issues in any of these places around us.”
He reiterated that no specific proposals or locations are currently under consideration.
“No one’s reached out as far as I am aware. I’m not calling around to business owners saying, ‘Hey, come on in.’ The door is unlocked is how I see it,” Falcone said. “If they want to come in and follow the correct zoning, let’s do it.”
Despite uncertainties, Falcone said he hopes the decision will benefit the township.
“It’s kind of a wait and see. (I’ll) keep my fingers crossed that we could get this extra income for the township,” he said. “Whether it’s an extra $15,000 a year or $80,000, that’s money we don’t have coming into our budget. Even if it means being able just to bump up the hourly rate for our employees a little bit, that’s great. If it means being able to go out and buy a brand-new truck for the road department, that’s excellent. Pave a road, chip and seal an extra road, that’s awesome, too.”
