Council hears report on ban
The Health Department expects most people will comply with ban.
Dec. 5, 2006
In a bar or restaurant filled with cigarette smoke, non-smokers just have to suck it up — until Jan. 9.
Columbia City Council members heard a report at Monday's meeting from the Columbia/Boone County Health Department about enforcement of the ordinance that bans smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars.
City spokeswoman Toni Messina said a plan of action is a priority of the city.
"I think the purpose is to demonstrate to the City Council that the city is preparing to enforce the ordinance," Messina said.
The City Council would need to approve any recommendations.
Before the ordinance passed in October, at least one council member expressed concern about enforcement.
"How are you going to control it, and how are they going to police it?" First Ward Councilwoman Almeta Crayton said before she voted against the ordinance.
The report, designed to answer questions about enforcement, was prepared and read to the council by Stephanie Browning, director of the Columbia/Boone County Health Department.
Browning's report calls for the Health Department and law enforcement officials to work together. The Health Department would first distribute signs to business owners so they can inform their patrons that smoking is not allowed.
Health Department spokeswoman Heather Baer said the department could pay for the signs without additional funding.
Browning's report suggests that complaints about violations of the ordinance can be reported on the Complaint Hotline, a program already maintained by the Environmental Health Division of the Health Department.
A new phone line would be added to the hotline in order to take these calls, Baer said.
Once a complaint is recorded, environmental health specialists, who are also in charge of conducting health inspections, would investigate. During all their investigations, the specialists would also look for "obvious signs of violations," such as ashtrays or odor, the report stated.
"If there is a person or an establishment that has continual problems, that's where the fine would come in," Baer said.
The original ordinance states that the maximum fine for a violation is $200. The ordinance also states the fine is assessed to the person breaking the law, not the establishment where the violation occurs.
Only Columbia police have the authority to impose such a fine, but the Health Department does not anticipate much need for involvement on the part of the police.
"People will adapt," Baer said.
The report states the Health Department assumes that, "the majority of people will voluntarily comply with the ordinance."
Years ago, people smoked in schools and supermarkets, Baer said. Now that laws prohibit those actions, "they don't have a rash of people trying to light up in the produce aisle," she said.
More Dec. 5, 2006 Outlook Stories
- College Clips — Judge approves FAFSA drug question A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit to abolish a drug conviction-related question on the Free ...
- Concrete barriers to replace chains — Campus officials said they have funding for two out of four of the barriers.
- Council hears report on ban — The Health Department expects most people will comply with ban.
- Plowing taking longer than normal — The city of Columbia has 17 plows working to clear roads.
- Proposition B will impact city payroll — Minimum wage will increase to $6.50 on Jan. 1.
Most recent Outlook Stories
- Student apartments burglarized at The Links — Police believe at least 12 apartments have been burglarized with a master key.
- Bank bailout is socialism — It's been seven weeks since we last discussed the economy. Seven weeks ago, Congress was deep in deliberation about the ...
- Protesters speak against Prop 8 in Columbia — People also protested the measure in Chicago and St. Louis.
- Travel costs expected to be low for Thanksgiving — Gas prices usually rise around the holidays.
- GREENway fashion show highlights recycling — On Saturday, Campus Lodge Apartments hosted Project GREENway Fashion Show, in which local students volunteered as models, showing off clothes ...