Proposed South Avis medical marijuana processing facility gains support

LOCK HAVEN — A Colorado entrepreneur who wants to locate a medical marijuana processing facility in South Avis has picked up some local support.

This week saw the Pine Creek Township Supervisors and the Operating Committee of the Clinton County Economic Partnership offer their approval.

Their actions came after Chris Woods from Terrapin Care Stations came to the county last week for a series of meetings in which he outlined plans for leasing some 40,000 square feet from the Henry Street Partnership, owners of a former modular home building structure along Henry Street in South Avis.

The proposed site is located in Pine Creek Township and CCEP CEO Mike Flanagan Wednesday updated the supervisors on the status of the project. As had been explained earlier by Woods, 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 South Avis’s 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 2018.