It was Adam Michaud, the Committee to Stop Unlimited Marijuana Shops, Rize, and The Firestation versus The City of Menominee the last two days battling it out in court over whether or not the city would be able to continue releasing retail marijuana licenses. While a lawsuit determines whether revised marijuana ordinances uncapping the number of licenses allowed are valid. The Honorable Mary B. Barglind heard testimony from City Manager Brett Botbyl on day one that outlines how the council works and how they manage closed sessions; especially those closed sessions on two particular dates, May 22nd, 2023 and July 27th, 2023 where the plaintiffs argue the city was in violation of the Open Meetings Act. Judge Barglind says, “the purpose of the open meetings act is to promote governmental accountability by facilitating public access to official decision making and to provide a means through which the general public may better understand the issues and decisions of public concern.”

A status conference for the lawsuit against the City of Menominee will be held in the near future.