Prince George's County Cannabis Reinvestment and Restoration Board Community Town Hall

On September 22, 2026, the Prince George's County Cannabis Reinvestment and Restoration Board held its first community town hall at a location in District 6, hosted by Councilwoman Danielle Hunter. The meeting aimed to gather public input on how to allocate the county's cannabis reinvestment fund, currently at $12 million, derived from a 35% share of the 12% cannabis sales tax. Board members presented a timeline of their work since appointment in October 2024, highlighted the fund's purpose to support communities disproportionately impacted by past cannabis enforcement, and expressed concern over proposed legislation (CB093-2026) introduced by Council Chair Crystal Oriada that would restructure the board and shift control to the council.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tamara McKinney (District 5 resident): Advocated for parenting classes for young parents starting in high school, including co-parenting and financial literacy, citing a lack of proper guidance contributing to school issues.
• Beverly John (District 5 resident): Praised the board's transparency but raised alarm about Council Chair Oriada's proposed amendment, which she said would allow council staff to be appointed to the board and let the council override grant approvals if reports are not submitted on time. She questioned how this maintains a community-driven process.
• Dawn Dalton (District 6 resident, Executive Director of the Justice Initiative): Expressed disgust at any amendment taking power from the community, stating the bill's original intent was to make communities whole, not pad pockets. She shared a story of a young man who committed suicide due to drug addiction and hopelessness, urging immediate resource deployment. She noted she personally met with Council Chair Oriada about appointments and called the delay unacceptable.
• Dr. Darbencia Warren (District 8 resident, CEO of Core DMB): Emphasized the need for financial literacy programs that combine education with activation tools, citing that over half the country retires back to work or lives paycheck to Monday. She serves on Maryland's Financial Literacy Advisory Council and wants to bring such programs to Prince George's County.
• Donna Dean (Treasurer, Lake Arbor Foundation): Asked about the protocol for fund disposition, who makes final decisions, and the board's ability to reject decisions. She later proposed intergenerational learning (STEM, history, ancestry), a swim team at the foundation's Olympic-size pool, and aquaponics to address food deserts. She noted the county cut their grant by 50% for FY27.
• Patricia Brody (District 6 resident, retired educator): Supported parenting and youth programs, especially for black males, and called for mentoring, consumer math, and intergenerational learning. She highlighted that 27.4% chronic absenteeism in PGCPS is a community issue, not just a school problem.
• Tracy Battle (District 9 resident, founder of Restorative Rebuild): Advocated for youth development and family engagement to address truancy, emphasizing preventative upstream investments like mentoring, after-school programs, and family engagement.
• Karina Attrison (District 6 resident): Raised concerns about conflicts of interest between council members and nonprofits, urging that any government official or staff should not have vested interests in nonprofits receiving funds.

Discussion Items

• Board Timeline and Operations: Vice Chair James McDowell Jr. detailed the board's history: appointed October 2024, first meeting March 2026 (17 months later), elected chair and vice chair May 2026, approved six priority work areas, developed a funding methodology (approved 8-0 on June 1), and requested coordination with Council Chair Oriada and County Executive Aisha Braveboy for board vacancies and administrative funding. The board was denied administrative funds (<$5,000 for tablecloths, flyers, banners) and used personal resources.
• Proposed Legislation CB093-2026: Board members stated the bill was introduced September 1, 2026 without their prior knowledge. It would remove all current board members upon passage, allow council staff to be appointed, and shift grant oversight to the council. Board members argued this undermines community control and creates conflicts of interest.
• Funding Categories: The board outlined intended funding areas: behavioral health, education, housing, job training, youth support, small business development, re-entry services, and more. They emphasized equity-focused investments prioritizing the 18 zip codes deemed 150% disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.
• Oversight of Funds: In response to questions, board members expressed support for an independent grant management entity to ensure unbiased distribution, with community representation in the review process. They noted other counties (Montgomery, Anne Arundel) use such external entities. The board sought only modest administrative funds (under $5,000), not the full 15% ($1.8 million) allowed by state legislation.
• Councilwoman Hunter's Remarks: Stated she does not want oversight of cannabis funds; the community should be involved. She committed to opposing the amendment and urged residents to attend the September 24 committee hearing and spread the word.

Key Outcomes

• The board committed to keeping a community survey open until mid-October to collect input on priorities. Results will be reported to the council.
• Upcoming town halls: District 4 (with Council Member Adams) and District 1 (with Council Member The Novels) on September 29 and 30.
• The next committee hearing on CB093-2026 is scheduled for September 24, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Residents were urged to attend in person or submit written testimony.
• Board members called for public pressure on council members to reject the amendment and preserve community control.
• Councilwoman Hunter pledged to support the board's efforts and provide logistical resources (tablecloths, water, etc.) for future outreach.
• The board will continue to conduct outreach at community events, farmers markets, and churches to boost survey participation.