The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a case alleging Warren’s Marijuana Review Committee violated the state Open Meetings Act multiple times.
Plaintiffs in the case, Pinebrook LLC et. al. vs. City of Warren and Livwell Michigan LLC et, al., are businesses that applied for but were not granted medical marijuana dispensary licenses in Warren. In a lawsuit filed in 2019, the plaintiffs alleged that the city’s Marijuana Review Committee held 16 closed meetings in violation of the Open Meetings Act and violated due process.
The Marijuana Review Committee members were former councilpersons Cecil St. Pierre Jr., Steven Warner and Ronald Papandrea as well as former city attorney Ethan Vinson and then public service director Richard Sabaugh.
The Warren Marijuana Review Committee received, reviewed and scored more than 60 applications for medical marijuana licenses and made recommendations to Warren City Council as to which 15 applicants should receive licenses. The Marijuana Review Committee did not receive public comment or disclose how it arrived at its recommendations.
The Warren City Council held a public meeting within 24 hours of receiving recommendations from the subcommittee and voted 5-2 to award licenses to the 15 businesses the subcommittee recommended. Former councilpersons Kelly Colegio and Scott Stevens voted against awarding the licenses saying they did not have access to information about applicants that was allegedly discussed and reviewed during the 16 closed meetings held by the committee.
Carl Marlinga, former Macomb County Circuit Court judge, ruled the committee did violate the OMA and invalidated the licenses issued. The 15 licensed companies became intervenors and filed motions for reconsideration that were denied by the Circuit Court.
This story appeared in the Macomb Daily