Oak Grove City Council — Transcript
Monday, July 13, 2026
Updates to Cannabis Hemp Registration Ordinance
West Oak Grove Cemetery Association's Request for City Takeover
Review of Abdo Financial Services Contract
Votes (3)
Updates to the Cannabis Hemp Registration Ordinance
City Attorney Joe Sathy presented legislative updates impacting the city's cannabis ordinance. The most significant change removes the county-wide limit provision, meaning the city is now required to allow one cannabis retailer based on its population, regardless of county numbers. Discussion also touched on the strictness of current zoning restrictions for retailers and the timing of a vote, with concerns about potential applications before zoning updates. The council decided to postpone the vote to allow for a review of zoning requirements.
Consideration of City Takeover of West Oak Grove Cemetery
Dissent: Council Member West and Council Member Wy voiced strong opposition to the city taking over the cemetery.
The West Oak Grove Cemetery Association's request for the city to take over operations was discussed due to the board's inability to continue management. The debate centered on the city's fiscal responsibility versus emotional ties, with data presented on current financial losses (approx. $35k annually) and potential revenue from plot sales if actively managed. The City Attorney confirmed no legal obligation for the city to take over. While some sought more time for research on external management companies, a consensus emerged among several council members to vote on the matter during the current meeting to provide a definitive answer.
Review of Abdo Financial Services Contract
The council reviewed the Abdo Financial Services contract, which is in its second and a half year of a three-year term, ending December 31, 2027. Abdo averages 15 hours of work per week for a lump sum, which raised questions about the effective hourly rate. Concerns included perceived inaccuracies in budget numbers and a desire for more comparative data with other cities. While not immediately seeking to end the contract, there was consensus to explore other firms and solicit bids closer to the contract's renewal in late 2026 or early 2027 to ensure competitive pricing and services.
Notable Quotes (15)
This year the legis that countywide limiting availability. So the update that you have removed that provision. So again limit one but no longer are zero if there's a certain number of county.
So, are we allowing one now or did we go with doing the average with the county and stuff?
but on August 1st, this countywide limit will be out of statute, meaning that you the city would not be able to use the language in it currently to limit based on county number.
So, we could move this to the next one sometime in the next week or so. Maybe Lauren, you could send us out what this zoning is and then at our next meeting if there's any discussion about it, we'll have it and then vote on it.
So they are again asking the city to take over the uh the operations. Sounds like the uh board's health is declining um and age is increasing um and there is nobody stepping up.
I am for this and um for multiple reasons, not just because I have loved ones buried there and I own a plot there. It's because it's a cemetery in our city. It will be abandoned, which does take time to happen, but if somebody doesn't step up, it will be abandoned.
I disagree. I don't want the city to take over. I don't think it's self-sufficient. I think at a certain point, you're going to sell that last lot in there, and there will be no additional money coming into this uh plan. So, you're still going to have costs, but no money coming in.
the one thing to me is on average, it's losing about 35,000 a year in the last That's just the last four years. Um, per year. Per year. That's what it's costing to run that thing. 35,000.
From a business standpoint, the potential of $1.9 million is there. If you add it up, if they're if the sales that they're talking about, number of plots they have, you know, add that all up, um, at 8,000 a plot or whatever it was, um, it comes out to 1.9 or 1 point something.
I don't believe that that's something that can be forcibly used upon the city. Um it could be I mean the scenario played out generally is uh you know it becomes nuance and then the city feels forced to take it over but I don't believe there's a mechanism by which the city is required by law to take over.
we're about year two and a half of a three-year contract. So, this contract goes through the end of 2027.
on average it's about 15 hours a week.
I never trust their numbers. um very it's it's happened quite a bit that even last year for the budget. All right, this is where the levy is going to be. This is the tax rate blah blah blah and then it was again oh sorry made a mistake on that.
Maybe we should get other bids in.
I Yeah, I think that would be appropriate to get quotes before you start the budget process next year. So, you can compare them.
Ordinances & Resolutions (3)
City ordinance undergoing updates due to state legislative changes.
Mentioned in the context of reviewing restrictions for cannabis retailers.
Mentioned for potential updates related to cannabis retailer locations.