No news on smoking ban (09/04/07)

Nearly seven weeks after Jay County officials held a public meeting to debate a public smoking ban, the issue remains in limbo.

Jay County Commissioners said they have not taken any action or formed an official opinion on the matter. They added that they are awaiting contact from the health department to discuss whether the ban should take place.

"They haven't been up to talk to us," Commissioner Gary Theurer said of members of the health department.

Theurer said today he has not heard much feedback from residents since the meeting was held in July, but occasionally "I'll get people on the streets asking questions," about the commissioners' position.

There is no timeframe for making a decision on the proposed countywide smoking ban, which was originally offered by the health department, Theurer said.

During the public meeting on July 18, at least one county resident voiced opinion that the issue should be left up to voters to decide.

Jay County Clerk Jane Ann Runyon said she did not believe that a smoking ban could be put on the ballot as a referendum. She pointed to a brochure published by the Indiana Election Division that contains a list of topics that are eligible for a referendum vote.

Nothing about a smoking ban is included in the brochure, she said, and it would likely take "legislation" to make a smoking ban eligible for a public vote.

"I don't see a thing about smoking on there," Runyon said.

In other business today, Jay County Auditor Freda Corwin told commissioners a subcommittee hasn't decided if it will recommend that the developer of a Holiday Inn Express set to be located in Portland will receive a loan for $100,000 from the county's Economic Development Income Tax fund.

Corwin, who belongs to the Jay County EDIT Advisory Committee and the group's recently-formed subcommittee, said more time is needed to come to a decision about the recommendation to the commissioners. The subcommittee met last week, she added.

"We sent out for more information before we actually decide," Corwin said.

Commissioners approved a motion last week allowing the loan to be forwarded to Jay County Council for final consideration, but the decision is contingent upon the EDIT subcommittee's favorable recommendation.[[In-content Ad]]