WARREN — A city council member wants to use some of the revenue the city earns from the sale of recreational marijuana to fund neighborhood beautification efforts.

Councilwoman Helen Rucker, D-at Large, made the proposal Wednesday, but she met caution from Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa, who cautioned against premature commitments until the state provides more clarity on how these funds can legally be spent.

Rucker said there is a need to generate new revenue to address recurring issues such as grass cutting, trash collection and vacant lot maintenance.

“Every year we run out of money for basic maintenance” Rucker said. “This money from marijuana represents an opportunity to reinvest it in our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life. »

Cantalamessa advised council members to proceed with caution, explaining that while the revenue is promising, spending it without clear guidance from the state could backfire.

“We don’t want to spend money on something we think qualifies as an approved use only to find out later that the state disagrees and demands reimbursement. » said Cantalamessa.

He said the state had not yet defined what was considered a legitimate right. “municipal objective” for marijuana revenue.

Cantalamessa also raised concerns about limiting the use of funds through municipal ordinances too early.

“If we lock these funds into specific uses now, we could tie our hands in the future if financial conditions change. » said Cantalamessa. “Economic realities are changing and we don’t want to get stuck because of the restrictions we’re putting in place today. »

Council members agreed that flexibility would be essential. While there is strong support for investing in beautification, some council members share a desire to wait for the state to provide clearer guidance on how municipalities can distribute city revenue. marijuana.

The Council also addressed ongoing challenges related to stray animals and leash enforcement.

Councilwoman Honeya Price, D-6th Ward, said there is a need for better enforcement, citing cases in which residents let their dogs roam without a leash.

“There are too many cases where people let their dogs roam free because they think their pets are well behaved,” Price said. “We must enforce citations to ensure public safety. »

Council members discussed encouraging police officers to more consistently issue warnings and citations for leash law violations.

Price said there have been instances where residents have ignored requests to leash their dogs, leading to complaints.

“The problem is people say, ‘So-and-so’s dog isn’t on a leash, so why should mine be?’ We must respond when these violations occur. she said.

Council members also expressed concerns about the capacity of local shelters, which are struggling to handle the number of stray animals. They discussed ways to improve public communication, including urging residents to use the non-emergency police number instead of calling the dog warden directly to report problems.

Cantalamessa proposed a measure to improve enforcement of animal ordinances by sending formal notices to landlords whose tenants own pets. The goal, he said, is to eliminate a common defense in which landlords claim to ignore tenants who keep animals, especially when those animals cause problems.

“The purpose of sending the letter is to warn the owner.” said Cantalamessa. “If a tenant’s pet causes harm or subsequently creates a nuisance, the landlord can no longer argue in court that they did not know the tenant had pets.”

The proposed letter would be sent to the owner’s address on file with the auditor’s office.