July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Smoking rules getting cool reception (02/11/08)
Jay County Commissioners
By By JACK RONALD-
A proposed countywide ban on smoking in public places will be revisited in the future.
Jay County Health Officer Dr. Stephen Myron this morning told Jay County Commissioners the county health department is not interested in going forward with a compromise proposal that would have required "smoking permitted" or "no smoking" signs to be posted.
"We don't really want to support the ordinance you're proposing" on signage, Myron told commissioners.
That approach would add a layer of regulation and bureaucracy for local businesses without accomplishing the goal of reducing smoking, he said.
Instead, Myron said, the health department intends to bolster efforts at public education on the dangers of second-hand smoke and bring the smoking ban proposal back to the commissioners at a later date.
"I think that sounds like a good idea. Revisit it in six months, a year," said commissioner Faron Parr.
"We didn't pass anything," noted commissioner Milo Miller Jr. "We can rescind that motion" on the proposed sign ordinance.
The Jay County Health Board voted unanimously in favor of a ban on smoking in public places in May of last year and has been pressing the commissioners for action since that time.
"We're not against smokers," said Myron. "We're just against smoking in public places. I will continue in my position as health officer to work toward this. ... I know that eventually this will pass in Jay County, but it may take a few years."
As part of the educational effort, Myron presented the commissioners with results of an air monitoring study in Fort Wayne conducted before and after that city's smoke-free ordinance that found dramatic improvement in air quality.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Approved purchase of a Ford ¾-ton pickup truck from Moser Motors, Berne, for the county surveyor's office at a price of $18,427.87 after trade-in of a truck with about 155,000 miles on it. The Moser quote was the lowest of three obtained by surveyor Brad Daniels.
•Received estimates from Sheriff Ray Newton on what it would cost to move and upgrade radio dispatch equipment at the jail. Emergency Radio Services Inc., Ligonier, estimates it will cost $130,606 to move within an expanded jail at the present site and upgrade equipment. To move off-site to a different location would require a new tower and would cost more than $308,000. Newton also presented commissioners with an estimate on a new telephone system at the jail from Embarq at a cost of $8,800.
•Noted the next commissioners meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, because of the Presidents' Day holiday next Monday.
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Jay County Health Officer Dr. Stephen Myron this morning told Jay County Commissioners the county health department is not interested in going forward with a compromise proposal that would have required "smoking permitted" or "no smoking" signs to be posted.
"We don't really want to support the ordinance you're proposing" on signage, Myron told commissioners.
That approach would add a layer of regulation and bureaucracy for local businesses without accomplishing the goal of reducing smoking, he said.
Instead, Myron said, the health department intends to bolster efforts at public education on the dangers of second-hand smoke and bring the smoking ban proposal back to the commissioners at a later date.
"I think that sounds like a good idea. Revisit it in six months, a year," said commissioner Faron Parr.
"We didn't pass anything," noted commissioner Milo Miller Jr. "We can rescind that motion" on the proposed sign ordinance.
The Jay County Health Board voted unanimously in favor of a ban on smoking in public places in May of last year and has been pressing the commissioners for action since that time.
"We're not against smokers," said Myron. "We're just against smoking in public places. I will continue in my position as health officer to work toward this. ... I know that eventually this will pass in Jay County, but it may take a few years."
As part of the educational effort, Myron presented the commissioners with results of an air monitoring study in Fort Wayne conducted before and after that city's smoke-free ordinance that found dramatic improvement in air quality.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Approved purchase of a Ford ¾-ton pickup truck from Moser Motors, Berne, for the county surveyor's office at a price of $18,427.87 after trade-in of a truck with about 155,000 miles on it. The Moser quote was the lowest of three obtained by surveyor Brad Daniels.
•Received estimates from Sheriff Ray Newton on what it would cost to move and upgrade radio dispatch equipment at the jail. Emergency Radio Services Inc., Ligonier, estimates it will cost $130,606 to move within an expanded jail at the present site and upgrade equipment. To move off-site to a different location would require a new tower and would cost more than $308,000. Newton also presented commissioners with an estimate on a new telephone system at the jail from Embarq at a cost of $8,800.
•Noted the next commissioners meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, because of the Presidents' Day holiday next Monday.
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