The Windham Town Council is poised to approve an emergency moratorium on retail marijuana establishments next Tuesday.

The vote anticipates that Question 1, a citizen’s referendum to approve the use of marijuana for recreational purposes, officially wins. As of Nov. 16, the Secretary of State’s Office said the question appears to have passed by a margin of 4,000 votes, but the “no” side could demand a recount. The deadline for applying for a recount was 5 p.m. Nov. 16, after Lake Region Weekly’s print deadline.

Because the proposal is written as an emergency moratorium, it means the council can vote on it without a public hearing, which is required of a non-emergency moratorium. The emergency moratorium, if passed, would go into effect for 60 days, starting from Nov. 8. The council can extend the moratorium for a full 180 days if it calls a public hearing and hold another vote.

At a meeting Tuesday, newly appointed Council Chairman Dennis Welsh said the measure was a good idea, as “it would give us time to deal with this.”

Councilor Donna Chapman also said she supported the moratorium.

No councilors or members of the public spoke in opposition to the moratorium.

The purpose of the moratorium would be to give the council time to review the town’s ordinances and make decisions about where retail marijuana stores, cultivation facilities and social clubs should be allowed in town. This could include enacting an outright ban on such establishments, although no councilors said they endorsed such a ban.

Nearby towns, including Westbrook and Cumberland, have enacted similar moratoriums. Raymond will hold a first discussion on a possible moratorium Tuesday, Nov. 22.

Welsh was appointed council chairman Tuesday, to replace Chapman in the role. The appointment followed the Nov. 8 re-election of councilors Robert Muir, Chapman and Welsh and the election of political newcomer Jarrod Maxfield.

All elections were uncontested. The seat held by former Councilor Thomas “Tommy” Gleason was not filled at the Nov. 8 election.

The appointment of Welsh to chairman was unanimous, with Councilor Dave Nadeau absent. The council did not appoint a vice chairman at the meeting, following two split votes on the nominations of Chapman and Councilor Tim Nangle for the job.

Chapman, Welsh and Muir, who nominated Chapman, voted in favor of Chapman’s nomination to the position. Nangle and Maxfield were opposed.

Maxfield nominated Nangle. Nangle and Welsh voted in favor, while Muir and Chapman were opposed.

Appointments need to be approved by at least four council members. The vote was postponed until Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Windham councilors, from left, Tim Nangle and Jarrod Maxfield, listen to Town Manager Tony Plante during a meeting Tuesday where a moratorium on retail marijuana establishments was on the agenda. Maxfield is the council’s newest member following the Nov. 8 election, when he ran uncontested.