Clinton County Proposed Site for Medical Marijuana Processing Facility…

LOCK HAVEN — A Colorado entrepreneur wants to locate a medical marijuana processing facility in South Avis and Wednesday met with local officialdom to detail his plans.

Chris Woods’ first stop Wednesday was with the media where he outlined plans for leasing some 40,000 square feet from the Henry Street Partnership, owners of a former modular home building structure in South Avis.

If the project comes to fruition, Woods said, some 30 to 50 jobs would be created. He said the average pay would be $40,000 and benefits, what he called a livable wage. Both skilled and unskilled positions would be available, with appropriate training programs provided.

Woods said he is seeking state permitting approval for one of 25 grower/processor facilities to be established in Pennsylvania. Citing the competitive process of obtaining approval from the state Department of Health, Woods said he thinks he will “fare well” in the competition. He based his optimism on several factors, including a partnership with the community (he said he “likes to do business with good people”) and a development-ready site with adequate electric, gas and water.

The state legislature earlier this year approved the state’s first Medical Marijuana Program. Gov. Tom Wolf signed the legislation into law in April. Woods said applicants likely won’t know for a year if they receive state approval. Should that happen, he said, the new facility could be up and running in the first quarter of 2018.

Woods already operates a number of facilities under the name Terrapin Care Station: one medical and one recreational facility in Boulder, Colorado and two recreational stores in Aurora, Colorado; he is also looking at expanding into Oregon.

A company brochure quotes Woods: “Terrapin Care Station wants to expand our operations to Pennsylvania so we can provide medicine to patients that need it, create good jobs for our local economy and bring socially responsible medical cannabis production to our state.”

Woods was born in California and grew up in Bucks County. He holds degrees from Penn State and Colorado Universities.

He was accompanied by attorney Michael Bronstein from Bryn Mawr and introduced to the press by Mike Flanagan, chief executive officer for the Clinton County Economic Partnership. Flanagan called the Terrapin proposal an “exciting project” and one that he hopes will work out.

Also Wednesday Woods was to meet with Clinton County District Attorney Dave Strouse; Henry Street Partnership principals Jay Alexander, Lee Roberts, Jim Maguire and Juli Alexander; a representative from the office of state Sen. Joe Scarnati; the Economic Partnership’s operating board; state Rep. Mike Hanna (who was complimented by Woods on his work on the proposal); and the Pine Creek Township supervisors (where South Avis’s Henry Street site is located).