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CASSOPOLIS — After recent changes to cannabis administration rules in Michigan, a local government has decided to follow suit.

At its regular meeting on Monday, the village of Cassopolis decided to move forward with an update to its cannabis ordinance to allow for drive-through service. According to Village Manager Emilie LaGrow, the council discussed the matter and after no objections were heard, decided to amend the resolution pending approval by leadership.

When the state of Michigan changed its administrative rules Mar. 9 to allow for dispensaries to have drive-through services, local dispensary BE Provisions reached out to the village and requested the change. 

“The previous rules allowed for curbside service, but not drive-through,” LaGrow said. “So, this will make for a little more ease of operation for businesses, if they so choose to utilize it.”

According to the changes made by the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency, a cannabis dispensary may designate an area for contactless or limited contact transactions unless prohibited by a local ordinance. A sales location operating a drive-through service must have a written standard operating procedure, as well as an anti-theft policy or procedure.  

In other village business, LaGrow updated the council on additional projects, to be partially funded by the $112,906.88 in cannabis excise tax the village will receive. The projects include: 

• Phase 2 of the reconstruction of N. O’Keefe St. is set to begin June 13.
• Hilton St. construction project is programmed and funded for spring 2023.
• W. State St. Reconstruction project is programmed and funded for 2024.
• A new sidewalk that will connect the existing sidewalk in the village to the SMART Park is programmed for 2024. The project currently has $60,000 in grant funding. 

“Anytime you can get an influx of over $100,000 into your budget, that is significant,” said LaGrow, of the cannabis tax money. “It makes us much more competitive when applying for grants when we have higher match dollars. … It just continues to open doors for us that previously we may not have been able to access.”