Selectmen are doubtful the town will have the ability to regulate marijuana when recreational sales become legal in 2018.

“There isn’t really a clear line on what we can and can’t do,” said Chair Judith Whiteside at the board’s Tuesday meeting.

Whiteside appealed to Town Counsel Richard Bowen for a summary of possible ways to pass local regulations.

“Towns may be able to adopt bylaws which could regulate time, place and manner of consumption,” Bowen explained, but he admitted it was unclear whether the restrictions could be adopted at Town Meeting, or if they would need to be a ballot question.

“It’s a poorly written law, probably purposefully so, and I suspect it was the drafters’ intent to discourage municipal action,” said Bowen.

He also noted that 20 different municipalities in the area are considering moratoriums on marijuana sales until regulations can be made more clear. However, he and Selectmen Peter Teitelbaum were skeptical of the legality of this move.

“Is it legal to put a moratorium on this?” Teitelbaum asked. “The law books are silent on that – the government doesn’t usually appreciate us swooping in when that’s the case.”

The majority of the Selectmen agreed that there does need to be a clear way to regulate marijuana sales before they start. They acknowledged that the statewide delay of recreational marijuana store openings until June of 2018 gave them some extra time to establish a clear legal path throughout the state.

Teitelbaum underlined the need for regulations: “Unless we have a way to stop on-site consumption, anybody can walk into a store and consume marijuana right there. It’ll happen here, too.”

In other news:

Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood and Wareham Public Schools Finance Manager Michael MacMillan stopped by to give an update on the renovations at the Decas School.

“We’re about three months behind schedule,” said Shaver-Hood, who thanked the school’s students and staff for being so understanding and flexible while the boiler and roof are repaired. She expects the renovations to be finished in early February.