QUINNESEC — Breitung Township Board on Monday reaffirmed its ordinance that prohibits marijuana dispensaries from operating within the township, despite the potential revenue from such businesses.

Trustee Ben Peterson had asked to review the ordinance, pointing out the state revenues the businesses have generated for Norway and Iron Mountain.

The two municipalities this year will receive $118,172 and $59,086, respectively, through the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, according to a Michigan Department of Treasury news release in March, while Dickinson County stood to receive $177,259 in adult-use marijuana distributions.

Lume and Rize have dispensaries in Iron Mountain, while Higher Love Cannabis opened in Norway last summer.

“I just think that it is a lot of money that we are passing on that could be used for roads, fire trucks or whatever. It is a lot of money that we are stepping over because some people feel it should not be in the area,” Peterson said. “I just think it is worth the discussion.”

Peterson also noted the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department and local police have stated they’ve seen no crime problems from having the dispensaries.

But Supervisor Denny Olson was opposed to altering what he called a good ordinance, adding that he thought the dispensaries wouldn’t bring in enough money to make it worth the change.

“For $60,000 a year I think we are a lot better off having somebody else (business-wise) come in,” Olson said. “What if we let that building come in and nobody wants to be around it?”

Superintendent Steve Mulka said while initially the township received several inquiries from dispensaries because of the low property tax rate, he believes the market has become saturated.

Mulka did concede having dispensaries in the area has all but eliminated complaints concerning the smell coming from growing operations when only medical marijuana was legal in Michigan.

Treasurer Christina Maki spoke in favor of allowing dispensaries, saying the township is missing out on potential income.

“They are businesses that want to come into the township and we are preventing them,” Maki said. “How I view it, we can learn from the mistakes of other municipalities and make stringent rules with our ordinance.”

Olson’s motion to keep the township’s prohibition against marijuana dispensaries passed, with Peterson, Maki and Township Clerk Wendy Larson voting no.

In other business, the board:

— Approved buying a trailer from Midwest Trailer Sales for $13,850. Of the four bids, Midwest was the highest but their trailer was the only one that met specifications. The trailer will haul a recently purchased skid steer and mini excavator.

— Opened bids from U.P. Engineers and Architects Inc. and Dynamic Design Group Inc. for preliminary designs of the phase one addition of the township hall. The future projects committee will review the bids.

— Authorized advertising for bids on two paving projects, a parking lot and walking path at Quinnesec Park.

— Referred hiring Cameron Mulka as a temporary part-time public works administrative assistant to the personnel committee. Mulka now works part-time as deputy township treasurer.

— Approved sending Jay Davis and Chris Wilcox for training to upgrade their commercial driver’s licenses to Class A. With the weight of the new mini excavator and trailer, a Class A license will be required. The cost is $2,000 per person, plus fees from the Michigan Department of Motor Vehicles.

Jim Paul can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 229, or jpaul@ironmountaindailynews.com.