want to uh go ahead and call this meeting to order um and before our chair um she has another commitment this evening uh crystal i want to make sure that you do have an opportunity um before we move into approval of the minutes uh and then um yeah so crystal do you want to say something before you go to your other commitment there yeah and i'll still be on the line i'm just gonna um just navigating through another commitment um i'm wondering uh do we have a miss right do we have a quorum yes ma'am we do we should take a roll call if i may yes okay crystal carpenter james mcdow present angela fair present rand atcherson randy present thank you randy i'm sorry about that dr valencia campbell present uh mary and yang drachel jordan natalie doris present debra mims here young camills okay we do have a quormet roll call thank you for that yeah um think mr tet will be um facilitating the meeting and then mr mcdow will be taking the place as chair in his vice chair capacity uh today to to move things along and to address to the chair's comments at the beginning of the meeting so I just want to say thank you in advance and uh thank you all for all of your uh support over the past few weeks I think that was really helpful for all the things that we accomplished which Mr.

McDowell will be saying in his comments so we just want to say thank you thank you thank you all right um prior to uh going to the approval of the minutes is it possible to make the agenda just a little bit larger appreciate it and certainly just want to give thanks to uh Danny Danielle Punter of the six uh and her chief of staff uh Brianna Young and all those uh of the staff that uh assisted us we were able to attend all three nights uh our table was well uh visited uh one of the things we certainly had to uh get out there and let the people know who we are uh each night uh upon arrival of the two of the two of the nights I was there um one of the nights I'm sorry I was there and Chris was there the other night one thing we noticed that when people arrived to our table they first thought that we were promoting the sale of cannabis um so it was actually good that we were able to let them know that we are the cannabis reinvestment and restoration board uh about reinvesting back into the community and also being able to uh give them a just a sneak tidbit of the grant opportunity that would be available to those small businesses so I think that's really important that they it's very clear in your districts uh what the cannabis reinvestment and restoration board truly is um because if we had not uh read the body language um and some verbals and oh no um we would have missed opportunities to have some great conversation and also uh gather uh information uh to those uh voters and uh those participants in the community so I just wanted to put that out there uh that we have to be uh more mindful uh to educate people about the board um so uh in that it's once once again just want to thank everyone that pulled together uh all those that were able to attend and um be present on those nights uh on on behalf of our board uh we can move to the approval of the yes go ahead i'm sorry this is this is that is this open for um a comment or as it relates to that now or should we wait because i had something to add to your statement sure no uh we we can go ahead and do that now that was that was my opening for sure yeah um um and i carry your same sentiments i i did want to add um as i was out at the uh the suitlin event um i did notice um that people didn't want to even come towards the table and this is sort of the importance of having signage um i was able to in my session just you know i had a chalkboard so i just took my my sandwich chalkboard and i and i you know added a little note um so you know people would not you know feel like the boy this is not for me right so i i think signage is very important to draw people uh to have the discussion because i was almost in crystal can box it we almost had to chase people down like no come talk to us here's why you know um versus them seeing the signage and say oh okay um i think they're

I I did want to add um as I was out at the uh the Suitland event um I did notice um that people didn't want to even come towards the table and this is sort of the importance of having signage um I was able to in my session just you know I had a chalkboard so I just took my my sandwich chalkboard and I and I you know added a little note um so you know people would not you know feel like the boy this is not for me right so I I think signage is very important to draw people uh to have the discussion because I was almost in crystal convosted we almost had to chase people down like no come talk to us here's why you know um versus them seeing the signage and say oh okay um I think there were was some missed opportunity there because we uh had to chase people down to have a conversation absolutely no I certainly appreciate that thank you for raising that and we want to talk a little bit more about that when we do the uh uh update and the listening tours um uh see you know what's on the agenda so no that's not that's fine uh I was that was just part of my opening statement so Randy I certainly thank you um for that um let's move to approval of previous minutes but I'm gonna uh Mr.

Tut if you want to go ahead and um take us through everything please thank you Mr.

Atchison and also before we do that I'd also like to take this opportunity we've identified all of the uh board members but I'd like to take this opportunity to have the others present um just introduce themselves if you would just to do it efficiently if um for those that are not board members if you would write your name and the organization that you're representing in the chat so we uh so we know who's joined us today I would really appreciate that for purposes also of the uh record and um with that um I'd like to take a motion uh from the floor for approval of the minutes hopefully everyone has had an opportunity to review those and if you're ready we would like a motion at this time sure uh Mr.

Tut also you want to fit your camera a little bit just seemed half of you there oh I see thank you yep not a problem there you go we have a motion for approval of the minutes motion for approval of the minutes a second Valencia the motion has been properly moved and we have a second all in favor brandy aye crystal carpenter aye Campbell aye thank you Mr.

McDowell are there any in opposition thank you the minutes stand approved okay uh Mr.

McDowell I'll turn back over to you to continue the uh conversation about the uh the listening tours uh yes thank you uh Mr.

Tutt uh one another thing I would like to raise is uh the tabling issues um and for those that were able to uh be a part of our uh listening tour um one issue for uh as Randy raised is we do need to um really discuss uh the lack of uh signage really hindered um uh I would say you know being able to get out there in those different pieces um and also uh what that what that did for us it made us look very different from others uh really grateful to our chair who you know who brought out uh some things to make our table look nice um but not having an official banner not having official uh signage and uh things to pass out there um the beyond uh of what we brought or what crystal brought there um really i think um did not set us up for the best outing and introducing ourselves to the public uh so we want to make sure that at the uh future table and events that we really have to think more strategically about what that signage looks like um for us um so it's um open it up if anyone else wants to comment on uh signage uh tablecloth all of those different pieces that other tables had that we did not have I have a question for you I wasn't able to uh attend but what was the signage that we had available for us was it just table tents or were there any um tall tents that were around us what what did we have this is Nathan thank you uh uh Miss Dors um it was actually just two plastic um not even table tents yeah I'll say table tents um it was that and then the printed information and like I said crystal brought out uh tablecloth um and that was really it's so I think it I think that was really a core showing um and I go back to the administrative fees maybe that's something that we could have been able to um to tap into to make sure we have those things

Um, it was actually just two plastic um not even table tents, yeah.

I'll say table tents.

Um it was that and then the printed information.

And like I said, Crystal brought out uh tablecloth.

Um that was really it.

So I think I think that was really a core showing um and I go back to the administrative fees, maybe that's something that we could have been able to um to tap into to make sure we have those things, not just you know, for this board for, but for the board that you know it stays with the board.

And I I will agree, you know, when I saw that we didn't have anything really at our table, I said, well, hey, I have some chalkboards that I'll just bring, at least write on it, who we are um with a with a quick note.

Um, and that helped some, but at the end of the day, compared to our other counterparts, we we really didn't look polished or professional, and you know, and so it it does more harm than then as it relates to engagement.

Agreed.

So is this something that we're able if we were to create a tent um and they call them tents where they're about six you've seen them at different um expos, but in there we could have you know our name and we can have a couple of key bullets, you know, something that's you know that would catch somebody's eye, but then if they weren't comfortable in walking by or stopping because of cannabis or whatever, and that tent, it would be able to talk about some things that would be able to attract others.

So if that is something that we wanted to do, how do we put in to um to expense that to have that made so that we can have that for our next our next three town halls, which I think will be really important?

I'm I'm taking note now, and if that is the will of the body, I can certainly make the recommendation.

And I I can't imagine there would be a lack of willingness to to have that.

I think everyone wants to put the best foot forward.

And I don't think that this you know, the cost of something like this will be prohibitive at all.

Okay.

And with the brochures and things like that that we have out there, um, did is there something that we can circulate with the board to see if that's something we wanted to be able to create some other flyers that have more information?

And again, I didn't see the flyers, so I'm not sure what was distributed.

So um, if we could have, you know, have some kind of session where we can review the materials that we'll have at our table.

That is yeah, I was saying Ms.

You banks can.

We could she sent, well, go as you banks, thanks.

We we sent that information out yesterday.

Okay.

All of the handouts, yes.

And also we did put in a couple of weeks ago for a retractable banner.

Okay.

All right, I'm thinking I did not see the flyers, so I will go back and review them.

That is fantastic for that banner, because that does make a difference.

And also wanna um, I will say one thing is even with the survey, um, it's right.

If somebody can update it right now, I think it has like plants or something, any type, I mean, can it system funding is more so about community?

Um, can we step away from anything that displays like marijuana plants or any symbol of that?

Because it is just is I think it that's what's misleading for folks in in some ways.

That's good feedback from the listening tour.

Thank you, Mr.

And also, uh, I'm not sure if we've had started having, I know there's a banner and that type of retractable banner in the work um from a marketing perspective.

Um, you know, people are drawn to big, bulky, especially if we have numbers.

Um, I'm not sure if there is some sort of a way to just say, hey, I don't, you know, however much is at stake, you know, can we say this is how much is on stake?

Come have a meeting, like something or come talk to us, um, some sort of attention grabber um to get people like, oh, they're actually talking dollars, not just about we, right?

So um wanting to, I guess have a a little bit more thought, and I'll be happy to be a part of the conversation on um the how the language is presented um on the banners and that type of thing.

I think it's a great idea.

So you can go to the Maryland Cannabis Administration um website, and they have all the numbers.

So it breaks it down to the counties, and then once you zero in into Prince George's County, it'll tell you exactly how much um the industry is making and also with that, um, it's 12% that is charged, and 35% of the 12% is going to be going into the fund.

And also with that, it's 12% that is charged, and 35% of the 12% is going to be going into the fund.

So right now we're at 12 million dollars.

And that is with the conversion that had to go on with the medical to recreation.

And in this past two years, there's been nine dispensary um license that have been uh awarded, and we are one of them.

And with that being said, there's gonna be even more money that will be going into this fund because this fund doesn't even account for the nine other dispensaries that will be opening up in Prince George's County.

So that is a great idea to be able to put you know, put some numbers up to see what this uh industry is generating and also in jobs and in taxes and all those things.

So I think that's a great idea.

Yeah, I'll I'll say that.