Danville, KY Bans Smoking on City Property [04/27-3]

Excerpts from: Danville votes to ban smoking on city property

By Greg Kocher Lexington Herald-Leader [04/26/05]

The Danville City Commission voted 5-0 last night to prohibit smoking in municipally owned buildings, vehicles and parks.

In so doing, the commission took the advice of Larry "Weasel" Wesley, a citizen who spoke against a proposed smoking ban in restaurants, factories and other privately owned workplaces. In response to Wesley's questions, City Manager Darrell Blenniss acknowledged that Danville employees and police officers may smoke in city-owned vehicles.

"Maybe the city ought to clean its own house before it looks to clean up the rest of the town," Wesley said.

Blenniss and City Attorney Ed Hays will prepare an ordinance prohibiting smoking in and on city property and present it to the commission at a later date for a vote.

The neighboring city of Lancaster, home of the Garrard County Tobacco Festival, will consider a similar ordinance banning tobacco products from municipally owned buildings as early as next week.

Roger Trent, director of the Boyle County Health Department, called last night's vote "a positive step and a progressive step."

Two weeks ago, Trent presented to the Danville commissioners a model ordinance similar to Lexington's indoor smoking ban, which turns 1 year old on Wednesday.

The Danville vote came after the commissioners listened to 35 citizens speak for or against an indoor smoking ban in private and public workplaces over the course of two hours. As a crowd of 100 or so listened, more than 20 citizens urged the commission to pass some sort of ban.

"I fail to see how smokers have a right or reasonable expectation to be able to pour smoke down my throat," Brian Cooney said..

The commission took no action on the model ordinance, which would require smokers to be outside at least 25 feet from doors and windows.

Private dwellings, retail tobacco stores, and hotel and motel rooms designated for smoking guests would not be regulated. Nor would private and semi-private rooms in nursing homes or long-term care facilities in which the occupants have requested in writing to be placed in a room where smoking is permitted.

Trent, the health department director, first proposed a smoking-ban ordinance two years ago, but the city commission tabled the matter and never brought it up again.

Commissioner Terry Crowley urged his colleagues to dissect the model ordinance and tailor it for Danville.

"I think the time to act is now," he said.

If passed, the model ordinance would apply only within the city limits of Danville. The cities of Perryville and Junction City and the unincorporated areas of Boyle County would not be included.

But Trent told Mayor Bowling that he would ask those governments to pass similar ordinances if Danville adopts its measure.

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