1/8/2009
APRIL MIDDLETON
Salina city commissioners on Monday will get their first look at a Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, which is expected to prohibit smoking in virtually all public facilities. “It’s a big policy question and I think will be a difficult one for the commission,” City Manager Jason Gage said. “It causes you to weigh the public health benefit of the ordinance versus the impact it has on private property.” Two public forums have been scheduled for the week of Jan. 19. During those forums city staff will outline the ordinance, answer questions and take public comments, Gage said. Salina’s current smoking ordinance was passed in 2002 by voters. It bans smoking in restaurants between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. A new ordinance would not require a public vote. It’s possible, though, the ordinance could end up on the April ballot. If the commission approves the ordinance, voters could petition for a repeal of the ordinance to be on the ballot. If the commission doesn’t approve the ordinance, voters could petition to have it on the ballot.
Read more about the proposed ordinance in Friday's Salina Journal.