Voters to decide on expanding broadband and recreational marijuana sales

By MICHELLE MONROE
ISLANDER STAFF
Alburgh will be holding a vote tomorrow, May 11, on a proposal to expand broadband access and whether or not to allow recreational marijuana sales in the town.
 
Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. with voting to take place in the bingo hall behind the town office.
 
Under the broadband proposal, the Matrix Design Group would extend fiber alongside powerlines servicing most of the town with the intention of connecting residents into a network capable of handling the higher upload and download speeds typically found in urban areas.
 
In total, the project is currently expected to cost around $2.73 million, roughly $869,000 of which would be covered by the town of Alburgh through fees on internet subscribers using the network.
 
Taxpayers will not fund any portion of the expansion.
 
Petitioners asked the town selectboard to place the question of allowing recreational marijuana sales before voters after the legislature left the decision of whether or not to allow sales up to individual communities.
 
Should voters in Alburgh approve marijuana sales, Alburgh would become the second town in Grand Isle County to allow for retail sales of marijuana. Earlier this year, voters in South Hero approved allowing retailers to potentially sell marijuana for recreational use.

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