CB11 Economic Development committee backs bank participation, and issues letters of no objection for a restaurant and a cannabis license renewal

Dwayne Williams, chair of the Economic Development & Public Safety committee, presented three motions on May 28: a letter of support for Cross County Savings Bank to reactivate participation in a Banking Development District (BDD) deposit program; a letter of no objection to the State Liquor Authority for FNJ Pine Restaurant’s license renewal; and a letter of no objection to the Office of Cannabis Management for the license renewal of Smoking Scholars LLC.

Cross County representatives described community programs (holiday turkey drives, school backpack giveaways, financial-literacy outreach, and low‑minimum accounts) and said reactivating their participation in the BDD deposit program would let them expand services and affordable lending in Van Nest/Morris Park. The board voted to provide the requested letter of support.

For FNJ Pine Restaurant, the committee reported coordination with the 49th Precinct, which raised no public-safety concerns, and moved a letter of no objection to the State Liquor Authority; the motion carried with at least one abstention recorded. For Smoking Scholars LLC, the committee moved a letter of no objection for a cannabis license renewal after precinct checks; the motion carried with several abstentions recorded and at least one board member raising questions about renewal timing.

Next steps: Letters will be forwarded to the appropriate state offices; committee chair will follow up with more details about renewal timelines when available.