Haverhill

Haverhill Councilors Reconsider $217 Million City Budget Tonight; Year Starts Thursday

By |

Haverhill City Councilors take up the city’s proposed $217 million spending plan tonight with little time to spare with the new budget year beginning Thursday. On the Council agenda is what appears to be an attempt at breaking the deadlock between a majority of the City Council and Mayor James J. Fiorentini. Councilors will consider an order placing $500,000 in cannabis “impact fees,” if collected, into an account for youth activities and mental health. The amount is an increase from the $358,000 the mayor suggested last week as a compromise, but falls short of the $700,000 some councilors requested. Fiorentini said he is willing to dedicate a portion of an impact fee, which is being challenged by at least one cannabis retailer, but not the undisputed local option tax.

Cannabis

McGonagle Breaks with Haverhill Administration on Cannabis Impact Fees, Backs Stem

By |

One Haverhill city councilor publicly broke with the city administration’s stance on cannabis “impact fees” last week and accepted a ceremonial check in non-disputed payments from a downtown retailer. Standing in front of City Hall Thursday, City Councilor Michael S. McGonagle accepted a ceremonial check for $365,796 from Stem Haverhill owner Caroline Pineau. The amount represents local option tax payments to the city during Stem’s first year of operation. McGonagle explained to WHAV why he is endorsing the local retailer. “I don’t think Caroline has gotten the right amount of credit for what she has done in opening her business.

Crime

Man Accused of Robbing Haverhill Cannabis Shop Reportedly Gave Himself Away to Police

By |

The man accused of robbing a River Street cannabis shop at gunpoint Wednesday, who was arrested two hours later, lived down the street and briefly got away with about $1,000 and a cannabis product called “Waffle Cone.”

At his arraignment Thursday in Haverhill District Court on an armed robbery charge, Tony Hernandez, 51, of 215 River St., was ordered to face a dangerousness hearing and return to court next Thursday. According to a Haverhill Police reports, patrolmen were dispatched to CNA Stores, 558 River St., at 12:31 p.m., where a “silent panic alarm” had been activated three times. Store employees said Hernandez came in and placed a gun, later identified as a Powerline .177 BB gun, on the counter and demanded to be given access to the store’s rear. Hernandez questioned whether the alarm had been activated and took all of the money from the cash register along with the one-eighth ounce of the Solar brand Waffle Cone. He fled, changing his clothing in an alley.

Haverhill

Updated: 51-Year-Old Haverhill Man May Have Held Firearm During Armed Robbery at Cannabis Store

By |

Haverhill Police confirm the 51-year-old man arrested for armed robbery at a River Street cannabis store used what appeared to be a firearm Wednesday, but there were no injuries. As WHAV reported earlier, police quickly tracked down and arrested Tony Hernandez of Haverhill at 2:30 p.m.—about two hours after the robbery at CNA Stores, 558 River St., Haverhill. Police said in a statement, “an undisclosed amount of cash and cannabis” were taken. Hernandez is to be arraigned in Haverhill District Court tomorrow. Deputy Police Chief Stephen J. Doherty Jr. told WHAV the matter is still being investigated.

Haverhill

Councilors Defeat Proposed $217 Million Haverhill Budget; Members Try Again Tuesday

By |

After first rejecting a proposed $217 million budget Tuesday night in a disagreement over creating a dedicated pool of money for mental health and youth recreation, Haverhill city councilors plan to take up the matter again next Tuesday. The 5-4 vote against the budget was the second time in four years councilors defeated a budget proposed by Mayor James J. Fiorentini. If there is no agreement next week, only emergency services will continue after July 1. Councilor Colin F. LePage was the first last night to call the lack of a mental health fund for youth a “sticking point.”

“I think we should be putting in more money into this Department of Public Health as we’ve talked before—seniors, youth, everyone,” he said. Opposing councilors favored creating a special revolving account comprising all of the “local option” taxes of up to 3% of gross sales the city is allowed to collect from cannabis retailers.

Haverhill

Councilors Tie Cannabis Impact Fees and Haverhill Mayor’s Refusal to Add Second Police Clinician

By |

The fate of Haverhill’s proposed $216 million spending plan for the year that begins in less than a month may hinge on collecting cannabis impact fees and hiring a second mental health clinician for the police department. The issues were tied together by City Council Vice President Colin F. LePage last week during a line of questioning centered on the police department’s proposed $13.6 million budget. LePage noted retired Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro requested two “behavioral response” workers to deescalate violence and address core issues. DeNaro told WHAV in March mental health issues have been at the root of several high-profile incidents of violence across the country as well as locally. Councilor Timothy J. Jordan told Mayor James J. Fiorentini he is drawing a line in the sand.

Haverhill

Update: Court Rules Haverhill Stem May Pursue Extortion Suit; Other Side Cites Free Speech Worries

By |

This update contains the responses of lawyers for Lloyd Jennings and J. Bradford Brooks. A state Appeals Court today upheld an earlier ruling that a Haverhill cannabis retailer’s suit against two opponents is valid since the foes went to lengths that “fell outside any acceptable boundary.”

Wednesday’s decision means Caroline Pineau, owner of Haverhill Stem, may continue her suit against Lloyd Jennings and J. Bradford Brooks. Lawyers for Jennings and Brooks told WHAV in an email that they are considering an appeal to the state’s Supreme Judicial Court because of, among other things, “free speech violations.”

The original action, filed almost two years ago, charges the men “engaged in a pattern and practice of threatening, extorting, intimidating and/or suing a business neighbor and applicant for their own financial gain.” In short, Pineau argued the men opposed her business as a means of coercing her to pay them a minimum of $30,000 for construction of a rear deck predating Pineau’s building ownership. “We’re very pleased that the appeals court agreed with Judge Deakin that the defendants’ actions went beyond any acceptable boundaries. Stem has been a strong new source of tax revenue for the city of Haverhill and has been a positive downtown presence.

Haverhill

Judge Denies Emergency Delay of ‘Impact Fee’ Payments from Haverhill’s Stem Cannabis Store

By |

A downtown Haverhill cannabis retailer must make its first “impact fee” payment to the city tomorrow after a Superior Court judge denied a request for an emergency delay. Stem, 124 Washington St., had argued it would suffer “irreparable harm” while waiting for a hearing on its larger case—that the city must give it a detailed accounting of any impacts and related costs. Judge James F. Lang said if Stem were to later win its case, it could recover the $356,000 owed plus be “made whole” by collecting financial damages. Haverhill Stem Owner and CEO Caroline Pineau told WHAV she expects to win. “We are not discouraged or surprised by this preliminary ruling.