A CONTRACT for “cannabis management services” was approved by the Stanton City Council on Tuesday (Shutterstock).

A contract with a company for “cannabis management services” was approved by the Stanton City Council Tuesday night, potentially moving the community toward becoming a home for the cultivation, processing and sale of marijuana-derived products.

The vote was 4-0 – with Councilwoman Carol Warren absent – to enter into a “professional services agreement” with HdL Companies of Brea.

Currently, while HdL has been advising the city on the topic, there has been no contract in place.

Additionally there will be no cost to the city unless it moves forward with developing a cannabis program, with any fees offset by cannabis operators through the application and licensing process.

The estimate of those costs was put at $23,250.

“We don’t owe them one penny unless the council decides to go ahead with cannabis businesses in the city,” said City Manager Jarad Hildenbrand.

While such businesses are not yet legal in Stanton, voters in November will see a special election ballot measure that could place a tax on cannabis uses, should the city eventually legalize them within city limits.

At a meeting in May, a representative of HdL told the council that Stanton could potentially reap $725,000 to $1.74 million annually in new revenue from cannabis-related businesses, especially from a large operation such as Cookies in Maywood.

Also on Tuesday night, the council voted 4-0 to approve a professional services agreement with Sagecrest Planning and Environmental of Anaheim with Amy Stonich serving as an “on-call” city planner until the council fills the vacant position of community development director.