Published: July 05, 2008 06:14 pm            

New Albany City Council to discuss possible smoking ban

A topic that usually drives high emotions on each side of the issue, the New Albany City Council will tackle the idea of implementing a smoking ban during a public hearing Monday.

The 6 p.m. gathering will prelude the regular council meeting, and is organized for residents to speak their minds on a smoking ban.

“It’s the council’s way of getting the opinions of the public on whether or not they want a smoking ban,” City Clerk Marcey Wisman said.

She confirmed the council will not vote on the issue, as an ordinance has not been placed on the agenda.

Yet council members are expecting a full house to discuss the issue.

“I don’t know that the smoking ban will pass, I don’t know that there’s a great outcry for it in New Albany, but I do know it’s a business that’s on its way out,” Councilman John Gonder said.

Gonder — a nonsmoker — said he has received phone calls from residents on both sides of the issue, each with valid

reasons. He said his mind is not yet made up, as he wants to hear from the public before casting a vote.

“It’s our place to reflect what people think, especially on an issue like this,” he said.

The organization Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation recently announced findings from a study that compared New Albany workplaces with Louisville businesses.

Indoor air pollution was found to be 11 times higher in New Albany workplaces as compared to Louisville, where a public smoking ban has eliminated the practice.

In a poll conducted recently by the Survey Research Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 68 percent of adults in Floyd County said they would support a universal smoking ban in New Albany.

The poll surveyed 605 Floyd County residents, including 371 people from New Albany.

“This survey shows that the people of Floyd County overwhelmingly support a smoke-free workplace law for the city of New Albany that covers all workplaces,” stated Meribeth Adams-Wolf, Floyd County TPCC member, in a news release.

The poll had a four percent margin-of-error.

Gonder said forcing employees to work in smoke-filled surroundings is a reason he might vote for a ban.

“Why would we want to enable someone to work in an environment where you have to put up with an unnecessary contaminant,” he said.

Gonder feels most residents will want an all or nothing ruling. Though Louisville has banned smoking across the board, Jeffersonville still allows it in bars.

“If people are going to insist on an all or nothing approach, it’s pretty much going to set the stage for a nothing approach,” said Gonder, who doesn’t think the council would ban smoking for every type of establishment.

Passing an ordinance to eliminate public smoking would require three affirmative votes from the council.



Other council news:

• The council will take a first vote on an ordinance to re-establish voting districts. A plan that re-tooled the six city districts was recently approved by the committee assigned to redistricting, and council members received a copy of the proposal for their June meeting. The council is obligated by the Constitution to redraw the boundaries after every official census.

• New Albany Police Chief Greg Crabtree has submitted several proposals to the council for review, including an appropriation for $10,000 for the formation of a New Albany/Floyd County Police Drug Task Force. There is also a proposal to appropriate funding for hiring nine new officers, which would increase the staffing level from 66 to 75 officers.

• The council has been presented with a list detailing suggested fee-increases for construction permits, licenses and vendor fees, among other services. The fee-increases were passed by the Board of Works and Safety, and could be voted on as early as the July 17 meeting.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.