By Hayley Kappes
The Daily News
Published April 27, 2010
KEMAH — Council members who supported extending the city’s smoking ban to include bars and restaurant bars failed to agree on provisions of a proposed ordinance.
Councilwoman Robin Collins proposed a smoking ban of all enclosed public places at the last city council meeting. She called exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor public places a health issue.
Collins said hearing opposition to the ban changed her stance.
“I’m torn to tell you the truth,” she said. “I don’t want to affect anyone’s business. I don’t have an answer right now.”
Councilwomen Terri Gale proposed including a clause in the ordinance that would make a business exempt from the smoking ban if alcohol sales accounted for more than 50 percent of its economic base. No council member supported Gale’s motion.
Councilman Wayne Rast was against Gale’s proposal, which would ban smoking in restaurant bars, he said.
“I don’t see the equity in that,” he said. “We need to ban smoking in all bars or not do it. That’s not a fair way to handle this issue.”
A smoking ban would affect alcohol sales from restaurant bars on the Kemah Boardwalk, Tim Anderson, boardwalk general manager, said.
“A smoking ordinance should be even across the board,” Anderson said. “If we ban smoking in bars, it should be banned in all bars. The current ordinance is very fair to all sides.”
Rast proposed a vote on the ordinance without the clause. No council member supported his motion.
Councilwoman Kelly Williams opposed any extension of the city’s smoking ordinance, which went into effect in 2005. Smoking at bars is not a public health issue because people who oppose smoking can choose not to go to bars where it is allowed, Williams said.
“I don’t want to see city government telling businesses what they can and can’t do, “ she said. “This should not be about government interference.”
Rast said those in government have to decide what is fair and reasonable for every resident, and the wants of business owners are not the only ones to base the smoking ban’s decision on.
Secondhand smoke can cause health problems for patrons and employees, and many restaurants and bars don’t offer health insurance for their employees, Cassandra Arceneaux, community health services director for the Galveston County Health District, said.
There is a 43 percent decrease in heart-related problems in cities that have smoking bans, she said.
“A smoke-free ordinance increases the health of the community,” Arceneaux said. “We have to consider that. “
Council members approved changing a provision of the original smoking ordinance to allow people to smoke more than 5 feet away from a business entrance. The original ordinance required people to stand at least 25 feet from an entrance to smoke.
The vote passed 4-1, with Rast opposing the ordinance. The ordinance will go into effect Aug. 1.
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