Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | April 7, 2025 | wbjournal.com I N B R I E F Head of school "In an era of accelerating technological advancements and emerging cyber threats, fostering adaptive, skills-driven learning is critical to developing the next generation of innovative and resilient digital leaders." Durga Suresh-Menon on being named the next head of school at New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough Guaranteed admissions "By removing barriers to college access, we are empowering our scholars to pursue meaningful futures with an equitable and affordable route to higher education." Rachel Monárrez, superintendent of Worcester Public Schools, on the system's new guaranteed-admissions partnership with Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester United Nations network "Joining the UNAI expands our network while we continue to address urgent social, political, and ecological challenges." David Fithian, president of Clark University, on the Worcester school joining the United Nations Academic Impact initiative, an international network of institutions of higher education working to promote and protect human rights, access to education, sustainability, and conflict resolution BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor M assachusetts Inspec- tor General Jeffrey Shapiro is advis- ing the Cannabis Control Commis- sion to conduct an audit to confirm that cannabis license applicants have made all required payments, aer an investigation by his office found the agency may have failed to collect up to $1.73 million in licensing fees over a two-year period. In a nine-page letter sent to the agency on March 27, Shapiro said his office launched an investigation into the matter in July, aer receiving a ho- tline complaint alleging the agency was failing to collect required fees relating to prorated license extensions and provisional license fees from current or prospective cannabis business owners. "I recognize that neither of you held leadership positions at the CCC during that two-year period," Shapiro wrote in the letter addressed to CCC Executive Director Travis Ahern and Acting Chair Bruce Stebbins, "but as the CCC's current leaders you must Inspector general: Cannabis Control Commission initially failed to collect up to $1.73M in fees, as agency staffers lacked supervision uncollected licensing fees. e commis- sion takes its responsibility to collect licensing fees and fines seriously." Shapiro described the ordeal as an egregious operational breakdown at the agency. He wrote the investigation showed CCC senior management at the time failed to adequately oversee core operations and commissioners were unaware their directives went unimple- mented. Aer a review of CCC records, the IG office found CCC staff members did not take action on an August 2022 vote by the commissioners to collect prorated fees on license extensions, resulting in more than $550,000 in foregone revenue. e IG letter noted CCC informed the office in February it had collected $320,681 of that amount aer becoming aware of the problem sometime in 2024. Ahern's statement said $170,000 of that money is outstanding as of last week, admitting some of that money may not be collectable if businesses who owe the fees have closed. e IG letter states for two years CCC did not collect more than 120 provision- al license application fees, which at one point may have been as much as $1.2 million. Shapiro said a full audit would be necessary to determine the exact amount of uncollected provisional fees. "While the OIG's investigation did not find fraud, it does suggest poor business practices and oversight," the letter reads. W definitively act on the recommendations in this letter." Ahern pushed back against the dollar amount named by Shapiro, saying it was a misinterpretation, but said CCC will work with the inspector general's office to address concerns, according to a writ- ten statement Ahern sent to WBJ. "e Cannabis Control Commission continues to meet with the Office of the Inspector General about the issues out- lined in the letter released today," Ahern wrote. "A more robust response will be provided to the OIG within the required 30 days to detail the steps we have already taken to remedy these concerns, and the commission will continue to work collaboratively with the Legislature on the agency's financial needs identi- fied in the OIG's letter. We also appreci- ate the OIG's important clarification that zero fraud has occurred as it relates to The Cannabis Control Commission is headquartered in Worcester's Union Station. Travis Ahern, CCC executive director

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