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Date: 11/27/2023
HATFIELD — Treeworks LLC is looking for an extension of its five-year host community agreement with the town of Hatfield, which expires Dec. 4, but the Select Board is hesitant to do so because the cannabis company has failed to meet the terms of the original agreement.
During its meeting on Nov. 14, the Hatfield Select Board expressed frustration with Treeworks for not fulfilling the expectations of the original agreement from five years ago.
“I’m really not inclined to agree to any of this,” said Diane Syznal, the chair of the Select Board.
Syznal said that the town approved a host community agreement with Treeworks “diligently” and “in good faith” with the understanding that the company would meet certain provisions delineated by the town.
According to the agreement, it was expected that Treeworks would provide their financial documents to the town, pay a small percentage of their profits to the town and offering an education component to Hatfield students.
“None of those [conditions] have been met,” Syznal said. “Good businesspeople honor agreements that were entered into in good faith, and I have a problem with this.”
MacKae Freeland, the executive director and co-founder of Treeworks, said the company has been working with the town for months on this issue and he hopes to continue to work with the town.
“Our goal at the end of the day is to work with the town, and in no way are we trying to stiff anybody,” Freeland said. “We have all in-state funding; we’re not a massive corporation, and our goal is to be in good standing with the town we come too every day.”
Freeland, a Gil resident, is one of three local founders of Treeworks, which officially opened back in 2020. The company makes cannabis products for dispensaries. Many of its products include tinctures, chocolates, live rosin and gummies.
According to Freeland, the company currently employees 30 people.
Although Syznal said none of their provisions were met, Freeland said Treeworks has done its best to help the community in any way they can. He said Treeworks did in fact cover their community service hours last year and are on their way to fulfill their hours this year after working with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts before it relocated to Chicopee.
“We’re very happy to work with whoever is really best to direct us on where we can direct our resources,” Freeland. “We are trying to dedicate time to be helpful in the community.”
Select Board member Ed Jaworski said he was bothered that the educational component was not addressed.
In response, Freeland said that there has been no public educational opportunity that has come across his desk, but if one did arise, he and his partners would be happy to educate the community in any way they can.
“In no way, shape or form are we trying to avoid that conversation,” Freeland said.
In general, Freeland pointed to a breakdown in communication as a reason for failed expectations.
“There are a lot of moving pieces, more pieces than I think we have the time for to talk about in this brief hearing,” Freeland said.
The Select Board ultimately granted an extension of the host agreement until Jan. 4, 2024 so the board and Treeworks can talk more about the logistics surrounding these issues at a regularly scheduled meeting or a special one. Despite this extension, there is still some hesitation from the board to renew the agreement for a longer period of time.
“A contract is a contract,” said Select Board member Greg Gagnon. “I think the whole contract needs to be followed, and I’ll be very interested to hear why you haven’t [followed it].”