The Three Rivers City Commission will convene for a regularly scheduled meeting tonight, Tuesday, September 5, at 6 p.m. at Three Rivers City Hall (333 W. Michigan Ave.). Discussions for the evening will include a potential marijuana ordinance amendment, which would allow for legal consumption in licensed facilities. 

In new business:

• The commission will consider a draft marijuana ordinance amendment for designated consumption establishments – a licensed commercial space where it is authorized for adults 21 years and older to consume marijuana products. Marijuana retail and safety compliance facilities are currently permitted for consideration in the city’s central business zoning (B-3) district.
  
  Owner of Daly Dope (113 Portage Ave.) Daly Broekema submitted an application to amend the city’s marijuana ordinance and cited “cannabis education classes” as her reason for the proposal.
  
  “I want to host cannabis education classes where we can teach our community and visitors how to safely use cannabis. This is a rapidly evolving industry, and being able to provide a safe and legal environment to educate consumers would be pivotal for our community,” she wrote in her application. Broekema added that the consumption lounge would be located on the third floor of 113 Portage Ave., which is currently vacant. If the commission accepts the draft ordinance Tuesday night, a public hearing will be scheduled for September 19. 
  
• The commission will consider approving a purchase order in the amount of $16,281.75 to J.C. and Sons, who responded during the recent force main break and did tree removal and forestry mowing along the easement in order for the bypass line to be moved away from the repair. 
• The commission will consider approving a change order from $21,657.00 to $21,800.93 to Sunsource to cover the $143.93 for shipping the new ferric pumps. 

 In appointments:

• Director of Finance/Administration Bobbi Schoon will be appointed to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority with a term to expire March 1, 2026. 
• Former Planning Commissioner Ronald Hudson will be appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals with a term to expire March 1, 2025.
• Cheryl Myers will be appointed to the Cemetery Board with a term to expire March 1, 2025. 
• Brenda Smith will be appointed to the Cemetery Board with a term to expire March 1, 2026. 

For those unable to make Tuesday evening’s meeting in-person, the proceedings are available via Facebook live on Three River’s City Hall’s page. 

Beca Welty is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice.