ELIOT, Maine - In a three-hour meeting Thursday night, selectmen voted 3-1 for a public hearing and special board meeting for a town ordinance to control marijuana dispensaries.

The meeting will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

The board is seeking approval for a local ordinance allowing local controls for any legal marijuana dispensary looking to locate in Eliot.

A proposed ordinance written by former selectman John Murphy was introduced Thursday night.

Murphy said, "The involvement of policing is minimal" in the state law passed by voters statewide in the November 2009 election to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Maine. Newly reelected selectman Michael Moynahan noted, "Under our existing local ordinances, anyone could just come in under agricultural zoning. We need to act on this and fast."

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