Pocomoke council removes cannabis moratorium extension from tonight’s agenda after advertising, review concerns

The Pocomoke City mayor and council on Monday debated whether to use an emergency resolution to extend the city’s moratorium on cannabis businesses and ultimately removed the item from the evening’s agenda, citing advertising and public-review concerns.

At issue was a discrepancy between the document advertised in the council packet — an ordinance to extend the moratorium — and a resolution that appeared at the dais the night of the meeting. The city attorney told the council the resolution had been drafted to cover a 48-hour window before the moratorium would expire on Sept. 14, 2024, and that under the charter an emergency resolution could be adopted without prior advertisement. Several councilmembers said they had not received or had time to read the resolution and worried passing an unadvertised action could prompt open-meetings complaints.

Council members discussed options: approve the emergency resolution immediately, call a special meeting to allow public review, or leave the ordinance on the scheduled September 16 agenda (which would create the 48-hour gap the resolution was meant to prevent). After debate, a councilmember moved to remove item number 4 from the agenda and schedule a special session to consider the matter before the moratorium’s expiration; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The mayor led the procedural handling and said a special meeting would be scheduled so members and the public have time to review the materials. No final extension or ordinance was adopted at the meeting.

Next steps: the council scheduled a special meeting to consider the moratorium extension and/or an emergency resolution; the ordinance remains on the packet for its next regular reading.