66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’

BELLVILLE — With the passage of State Issue 2, the Marijuana Industry in Ohio is expanding into localities, and in some cases, disguised in camouflage. At the admonition of local faith leaders, Bellville Village Council voted 5-1 Tuesday night for a moratorium prohibiting marijuana businesses from coming into the village. After calls to put brakes on a dispensary, Councilman Jason Guilliams made a motion to approve a resolution inside the village prohibiting recreational and/or medical marijuana for six months. Justin Enix was the lone dissenting vote.

Originally the Village Planning Commission was supposed to vote December 28th whether to allow a new recreational marijuana dispensary at the Interstate 71/Ohio 97 interchange. That is until the public found out.

“As community partners, we regret that very little information about this highly-consequential project was released to the public, Pastor Chad Hayes told Village Council.  “To our knowledge, no village official reached out to faith leaders about this plan.”

Scant information has been posted on the Bellville Village website regarding the proposed marijuana dispensary. The only mention is from the July 11th, 2023 council meeting minutes. “Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus questioned what the Village’s position would be on interest in being the potential location of a medical marijuana dispensary, an inquiry she received from Barrett Thomas,” the minutes said.

In a correspondence given by clergy to Village Council, the clergymen wrote, “There is no question the local faith community consistently opposes the use of the Schedule 1 narcotic marijuana. This past election cycle saw lead clergy from over one hundred-forty congregations publicly oppose the legalization of “recreational” marijuana.  Last year, one hundred-ten clergy sent a letter electronically to every mayor in Richland County, including Bellville, opposing recreational marijuana.  Lastly, in March of 2017, a clergy letter opposing “medical” marijuana, an addictive drug with no FDA approval, was also sent to every mayor in Richland County, including Bellville.”  The letter went on to say, “If approved by the Village, this marijuana business will come to steal, kill and destroy.”

“As local stakeholders and lead clergymen from sixty-six congregations, we publicly value human life and oppose harmful substances that jeopardize public health and safety,” Pastor Matt Merendino, one of the clergy co-signers told Council. “Therefore, we are calling on Bellville Village Council to pass emergency legislation banning all businesses involving the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of marijuana located in the Clear Fork Valley area that will ultimately poison our local culture.”  

Pastor Matt Merendino told council he has seen students access marijuana illegally using someone else’s marijuana card. He also shared with Village Council that thirteen clergy in 2013 advocated for the implementation of a random drug testing program for students involved in extra-curricular activities in Clear Fork Valley Schools.  “This program, which was approved by the School Board at the clergy’s request, was designed to protect the health and safety of young people and prepare them for the workforce where drug-free work cultures exist.

“We believe the injection of more marijuana into our community, a drug associated with mental illness, would undermine this drug testing program,” Merendino said.  “As a result, the approval of a commercial marijuana business would inflame an illicit drug culture leading to a spike in emergency room visits similar to 2016, when twenty-four young people were hospitalized for ingesting THC-laced candy.  This ill-fated concert event, entitled ‘The Last Weekend on Earth,’ took place at Ohio Dreams outside the Village of Butler, attracting national news outlets, and bringing shame to our region.”

Brandy Marquette, Executive Director with Community Action for Capable Youth (CACY) wrote a letter to Bellville Village Council pointing out that since medical marijuana sales began in Ohio in 2019, accidental poisonings have significantly increased. “I urge Council to carefully consider the potential consequences and the possible long-term impact on children and teens. At a time when Ohio is experiencing a mental health crisis, violence on the rise, and a record number of drug overdoses, we are deeply worried that a dispensary may increase drug availability,” she wrote.

Benjamin Mutti gave Village Council a draft emergency resolution which Council later voted on. Based from Senator Mark Romanchuck’s Senate Resolution 216, Mutti touched on the economic ramifications, calling marijuana a ‘lawless industry that collides with lawful societies,’ and that other states that legalized marijuana ten years prior demonstrate this.

“This dispensary will have a ripple effect on the economy and law enforcement. A smaller workforce will result when drug tests show up dirty. Employers will either leave the area or go automated. Ultimately, we will need more police officers to address unruly behavior from marijuana use, but recruitment and retention of police officers will plummet as police morale sours. It very well could be like the Wild West when the cartels move in.”

Local law enforcement officials submitted letters to Council and also do not want marijuana coming to Richland County. Sheriff Steve Sheldon wrote, “With over forty years experience in law enforcement, I believe this type of facility would negatively impact the Village of Bellville and surrounding areas.” METRICH Project Director Keith Porch wrote, “I am against bringing a recreational marijuana manufacturing facility to the area. We are a community of children and families and at some point, revenue should not be placed above maintaining the security and sanctity of our families.”

Citizens also chimed in during public comment. Bob Gunther and Art Lowe both gave their disapproval of the dispensary. Darrell Banks reminded Council that Richland County was one of the counties that voted against the marijuana issue 2 and said marijuana will negatively impact public safety on the roadways. Reverend Mike Stine opposed the dispensary saying “all things may be lawful, but not all things are beneficial.” Sixty-year resident, Jim Haring, owner of a nearby proposed four-hundred housing unit development, also objected to marijuana in the community. Citizen Steve McKinley believes if the Village approves the marijuana dispensary after the six-month moratorium, it will be pardoning misbehavior. “For my career in law, I have observed recreational marijuana to typically be associated with human failure. It is often times why kids are neglected by their impaired parents and also one of the main drivers for delinquent behavior.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in John Chapter Ten, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” 

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