BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — The Jefferson County Commissioners are aggressively pursuing a medical marijuana facility.
The Commissioners spoke at length during Tuesday’s meeting in Brookville about their hope to have one of the 12 that will be in Pennsylvania in the county.
“We are pushing hard to get this,” Commissioner Jack Matson said. “We want this in our county because it means jobs.”
Jefferson County Development Commission Executive Director Brad Lashinsky echoed those sentiments.
“It is a way to promote people’s health and spur economic health. A lot of things that used to be good jobs in the county, such as mining and logging, aren’t doing so well and this is a good opportunity for the county.”
Lashinsky said the potential exists for 30 jobs the first year paying $30,000 a year.
The state will award 12 licenses sometime later this year, probably by the end of May and then those companies would have to be up and running in six months.
Lashinsky explained that it would be just a grow operation. It would be an automated greenhouse where the plants would be harvested and ground up before they bud.
The byproduct would be used in pills, patches or suppositories. There wouldn’t be any edibles.
The company that is seeking a license in the Northwest Region, which will receive two, is GRO, Global Resource Operations of Nashville.
They already have operations in Colorado and California.
Lashinsky said Global Resource is looking at Sunnyside Energy Park in Ringgold Township, approximately 10 miles west of Punxsutawney, for the growing facility.
The company was attracted by the abundant source of clean energy at Sunnyside.
The company would also lease a 25-acre parcel of land in Sunnyside, according to Lashinsky.
Matson said they grow the marijuana plants without using pesticides. Some of their staff members have 10 years experience.
Applications are due in March.
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