SANFORD — A South Berwick company is considering setting up a medical marijuana dispensary in one of Sanford’s old textile mills.

Green Relief MD is eyeing Stone Mill Place, a six-story former textile mill owned by Eric Stone on Emery Street in the millyard.

Under rules set by the state following passage of the medical marijuana referendum in November 2009, York County will be allowed one state-approved, non-profit medical marijuana dispensary. The county is one of eight Public Health Districts set up across the state for dispensary locations.

Green Relief MD founder Ron Fousek said the facility would generate 23 jobs in the first year, and he projects a staff of 300 in five years. He estimated the project would cost about $500,000 to implement. The state application fee is $15,000.

Green Relief MD will be watching Town Council action next Tuesday to see if the panel will consider repeal of an emergency moratorium it enacted in April. If there is no repeal, the 90-day moratorium will expire of its own accord July 20, unless the council proceeds with the second reading of a moratorium ordinance that would give it time to develop zoning. A first reading was held Tuesday.

Green Relief MD is under pressure because applications to the state must be made by June 25. The state will not consider an application in a community where a moratorium exists.

Fousek said this morning that the company has also approached Eliot and has eyed Arundel and South Berwick and is expected to speak with officials in Wells tonight, but Sanford and the mill is his preferred location.

“We’d get the top two floors for growing (in the 200,000-square-foot mill building),” he said. “Sanford is the place we want to be.”

Councilors said they understand the urgency on Green Relief MD’s part, but don’t want to be rushed into making a decision. After a lengthy discussion, they agreed to next week discuss and perhaps take action on a repeal of the existing emergency ordinance, which requires five affirmative votes out of seven. Repeal of an emergency ordinance requires no public hearing.

Councilors said they wanted to take their time in considering all options.

“I don’t see the rush to do something. That just gets you in trouble,” said Councilor Anne Marie Mastraccio.

“It’s not that I don’t want it. I don’t want you to misunderstand. I’m trying to be open to this argument, however ”¦ we have a process,” said Councilor Brad Littlefield. “I almost feel like I’ve got a gun to my head. I don’t want to feel pressured.”

Under state rules, marijuana may be prescribed by a physician to treat symptoms associated with a number of illnesses, including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis C, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease and a genetic disorder called Nail-patella syndrome.

Fousek this morning said he and Brian Eager, a business partner in Green Relief MD, are already designated as caregivers under Maine’s existing medical marijuana laws, which allow a caregiver to grow a specified amount of marijuana for their own medical purposes or grow or acquire it for someone else. Allowed 10 patients under the law, he said he has three and Eager two.

Fousek said he is one of 21 directors of Medical Marijuana Growers of Maine.

If the council were to repeal the existing emergency moratorium, officials say location of a dispensary would fall under existing zoning rules for medical facilities, which exclude only residential areas.

And while Green Relief MD is the only company to make a presentation to the council and is interested in Stone Mill Place, it is apparently not the only company eyeing Sanford for a dispensary.

Former councilor Maura Herlihy said that could be a problem.

“If you take away the moratorium, you open it up not only to (Stone Mill Place) but other areas,” she said. Herlihy said she wouldn’t want to see a dispensary in a place like the former Movie Gallery space in the Mid-Town Mall, in the heart of downtown.

Eager said a dispensary in Sanford operated by Green Relief MD would be safe and secure with no consumption on the premises and with no loitering allowed. Patients would have privacy and medical marijuana would be dispensed discreetly, he noted.

Council Chairman Joseph Hanslip said the council has a week or two to mull the matter.

“I am supportive of medical marijuana and I think it’s a good opportunity to locate a business in Sanford. It would be nice to see a new business located in the mills but the time frame we have to act upon concerns me,” said Hanslip this morning. “This is not something to rush into.,”

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.