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Mayor breaks tie to allow proposed cannabis testing lab applicant to proceed conditionally
Summary
At the April 20 work session the North Haledon mayor cast a tie-breaking vote to allow a proposed cannabis testing laboratory applicant to move forward with the application process; council members voiced safety and policy concerns and said final approval would require conditions from the police chief.
At the Borough of North Haledon work session on April 20, 2022, Mayor Randy George cast a tie‑breaking vote to let an applicant for a proposed cannabis testing laboratory proceed with the application process, while council members raised public‑safety and policy concerns.
The council reviewed a report from Robert Mondello on a testing-only cannabis operation. Several council members said they were uneasy about broader social effects they have seen in other states after legalization, including increases in automobile crashes and cannabis-related medical emergencies among children. Councilmember George Pomianek said he did not want the town to be seen as inviting cannabis activity “in our backyard,” while Councilmember Bruce O. Iacobelli cited research he has heard about post‑legalization increases in traffic injuries.
Mayor George noted that North Haledon voters approved allowing cannabis-related businesses in a 2–1 vote and said a testing lab is different from retail sales. Police Chief Darby told the council that state guidance allows law‑enforcement officers to use legalized cannabis off duty but said the department is urging caution; he recommended restricting on‑duty use by officers and asked the applicant to meet a series of police conditions before the borough would give further sign‑offs.
Councilmembers were split on whether the borough should permit the testing site to proceed; the mayor broke the tie with a conditional go‑ahead, telling the applicant to continue with the required application steps and to address the police chief’s requests. Council members emphasized that this was not a final permit or a change to the ordinance permitting retail sales; the mayor said any retail operations would require a separate ordinance amendment and another council review.
Next steps: the applicant must complete the formal application process and satisfy the police chief’s requested conditions and any municipal review steps before council takes any formal approval vote.
