Comments on Smoking Ordinance Show Favor for City-Wide Ban
By: Robert Lowrey
Updated: March 21, 2013
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) A search for public comment for a proposed city-wide smoking ban has set up a work session at City Hall.
After two months of meetings, more than 450 comments have been made about the proposed ordinance.
From the beginning, a line has been drawn separating opinions.
On one side, those who support the city wide smoking ban. On the other, those who oppose it.
"We have a lot of bar owners who are non-smokers but they value their customers who are smokers," said Bob Meeks during a previous meeting with his group, United Freedom Coalition.
Both are concerns that were supported throughout the comments recently released by St. Joseph.
Out of the 466 counted responses, the numbers favored an ordinance by the city that banned smoking in public places.
A little more than half of the comments submitted to the city asked for the council to put the smoke-free ordinance in place.
Fewer than thirty percent of people did not want the city to take any action.
The rest asked the city to put the ordinance before the voters.
"It kind of echoed what we both have heard people out there in the community say that they want a smoke-free ordinance," said Jane Schwabe with Clean Air St. Joe. "It was just nice to see our thoughts reconfirmed."
Growing support for a smoke-free ordinance has been attributed to education by Clean Air St. Joe.
Students across the Midland Empire were involved in one of the educational activities Wednesday night.
The second annual Kick Butts Dodgeball Tournament encourages kids to avoid tobacco.
With the measure now headed to a city work session, a final decision appears to be imminent.
St. Joseph city council's work session will be held Wednesday, March 27th at 4:15 p.m. in City Hall.
A link to the comments submitted to the city, with contact information removed, can be found at the bottom of this story.
After two months of meetings, more than 450 comments have been made about the proposed ordinance.
From the beginning, a line has been drawn separating opinions.
On one side, those who support the city wide smoking ban. On the other, those who oppose it.
"We have a lot of bar owners who are non-smokers but they value their customers who are smokers," said Bob Meeks during a previous meeting with his group, United Freedom Coalition.
Both are concerns that were supported throughout the comments recently released by St. Joseph.
Out of the 466 counted responses, the numbers favored an ordinance by the city that banned smoking in public places.
A little more than half of the comments submitted to the city asked for the council to put the smoke-free ordinance in place.
Fewer than thirty percent of people did not want the city to take any action.
The rest asked the city to put the ordinance before the voters.
"It kind of echoed what we both have heard people out there in the community say that they want a smoke-free ordinance," said Jane Schwabe with Clean Air St. Joe. "It was just nice to see our thoughts reconfirmed."
Growing support for a smoke-free ordinance has been attributed to education by Clean Air St. Joe.
Students across the Midland Empire were involved in one of the educational activities Wednesday night.
The second annual Kick Butts Dodgeball Tournament encourages kids to avoid tobacco.
With the measure now headed to a city work session, a final decision appears to be imminent.
St. Joseph city council's work session will be held Wednesday, March 27th at 4:15 p.m. in City Hall.
A link to the comments submitted to the city, with contact information removed, can be found at the bottom of this story.
