Rehoboth sets policy on marijuana

Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted Aug. 18 to prohibit the sale, cultivation, testing or manufacturing of marijuana within city limits.

Prior to the prohibition, Zoë Patchell, Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network executive director, urged commissioners to vote against the ban. She said alcohol consumption is more dangerous, and the prohibition won't reduce the supply of marijuana, but will shut the door on law-abiding, taxpaying businesses.

Mayor Stan Mills said other coastal towns are prohibiting marijuana-related businesses, and he didn’t think the biggest municipality should allow them.

Commissioner Toni Sharp said the city’s new regulations will not stop people from getting marijuana from other parts of the state and bringing it to Rehoboth.

Commissioners also voted to prohibit the smoking of marijuana in public. This provision is already part of state law, but commissioners made it official within city limits in case the law changes. As part of the ordinance, language requiring no smoking signs to be visible to be enforced was removed.

During a previous meeting, Commissioner Patrick Gossett asked City Solicitor Glenn Mandalas if marijuana could be gifted as part of purchasing another item in a store.

Mandalas didn’t know at the time, but during the recent meeting, he said state law prohibits it.

Charitable donations

In response to commissioner concerns about how the city’s charitable donations are being issued and then spent, Rehoboth Beach voted unanimously in favor of creating a policy regarding grant requests.

For years, with little more than a presentation to commissioners during the budget season, the city has provided Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company, Rehoboth Beach Museum, Rehoboth Beach Public Library and Rehoboth Beach Main Street with some level of funding. During the city’s budget talks for the current fiscal year in the early months of 2023, commissioners raised concerns about the process, but ultimately agreed to give the organizations what they asked for – the fire company received $150,000, the library received $75,000, the main street group received $60,000 and the museum received $30,000.

In the past, the city has been making charitable contributions with no accountability, said Gossett during the Aug. 18 meeting. This is just a more formalized process for tracking and recording how the city’s money is used in the community.

As approved, the application is 11 pages long, and submissions will be evaluated by commissioners based on a number of things, including if the organization is principally located within city limits; if there is a direct and substantial benefit to the city; if the organization provides a quasi-governmental service; if the organization receives support from other government entities or private citizens; and if the request will be used for projects, programs or operations.

Organizations prove their worthiness by, among other things, providing details on the ins and outs of their operations, why the grant is needed and how the grant will benefit the community, along with a list of measurables and a timetable for completion.

Mills admitted the new application is long. However, he said, it’s necessary.

Sharp said the new application helps the commissioners make sound decisions.

Commissioner Tim Bennett asked if the new policy opened the city up to new requests.

Mills said it might, but he didn’t know.

The application requires all documents to be submitted to the city manager no later than 11:59 p.m., Dec. 1, for consideration in 2024.

Gossett suggested, and commissioners agreed, that the city use the policy this year, evaluate how it went and then make changes if necessary.