This story elaborates on an article published at 6:21 p.m. Monday, July 9, 2018: Ban on recreational marijuana upheld in West Springfield as Council overrides mayor's veto

Don't confuse legalization of recreational marijuana statewide with acceptance of it here was the message from West Springfield's Town Council Monday.

"Yes, it is legal, but it is not wanted by the residents of West Springfield," District 5 Councilor Daniel M. O'Brien said.

"The main thing I hear is this town does not want it now and I have to represent this town, so that's why I'm overturning this veto," District 1 Councilor Michael S. Eger said.

Most in the audience at Town Hall applauded as the Council then voted 8-1 to override Mayor Wil Reichelt's veto in a special meeting that means a ban on sales of recreational marijuana will be imposed.

A few people walked out of the meeting in protest over not being allowed to speak during the session and were booed and called "pothead."

In 2016, West Springfield voters rejected recreational marijuana by a vote of 6,239-5,814, or over 50 percent to nearly 47 percent. Three percent of ballots were blank.

Councilors said the town's rejection of the 2016 ballot question and recent messages from residents favoring a recreational marijuana ban prompted their votes to override Reichelt's veto.

Councilor at Large Brian J. Griffin said slightly more than 50 percent of the messages he received were from residents who said "they don't want it in our town."

Another 20 percent of the messages to Griffin were from those who want recreational marijuana to be available here. Griffin said 30 percent or so urged that the town schedule another referendum on the matter, as Reichelt has proposed.

"But that is not on the agenda for this evening," Griffin said.

The vote in the brief meeting mirrored the tally when the Council approved the ban June 4. Voting in favor of overturning the mayor's veto, and establishing a ban on recreational marijuana, were Council President George D. Condon III and councilors Nathan A. Bech, George R. Kelly, Bruce L. Gendron, Brian J. Clune, O'Brien, Eger and Griffin.

Sean T. Powers voted against overturning Reichelt's veto and he voted June 4 against the ban.

Gendron, a councilor at large, said West Springfield can revisit the matter of recreational pot later.

The town in the meantime can gauge effects on its infrastructure from the $960 million MGM Springfield resort casino set to open Aug. 24 next door in Springfield, as well as monitor how other cities and towns deal with recreational marijuana, he said.

"Let some neighboring communities work out the bugs," Gendron said.

Reichelt had said a town ban makes little sense since recreational marijuana statewide is legal with voter approval of of the 2016 ballot question.

Banning the product means the town surrenders revenue and jobs from an industry planning to do business in neighboring cities and towns, he said.

Reichelt in a posting on Facebook had urged residents to contact councilors seeking another ballot question to get a more up-to-date measure of voters' views on recreational marijuana, given its legalization statewide.

After the meeting, Reichelt said next steps could include the Council scheduling such a ballot question or circulation of a petition to put a question on an election ballot.

Arguments seem to imply that a ban will mean marijuana won't be in town, he said.

"Which is not the case. So if there are social costs, we'll have to bear them without additional revenue to offset that," Reichelt said.

If another referendum on recreational marijuana were placed before voters, the question would have to be nonbinding, under state law. That's because of West Springfield's having voted against recreational marijuana legalization in 2016.

A ban is already in effect in essence with a moratorium on recreational marijuana. The moratorium began in December 2016 and expires Dec. 31, Reichelt said.

As in other communities, West Springfield officials established a moratorium on sales of recreational marijuana, despite the 2016 statewide legalization, to allow for time to establish regulations if the industry were to come here.

This town like most communities approved a 2012 ballot question to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. The vote was 6,142-4,611, or 53 percent to 40 percent, with 7 percent of the ballots blank.