[C-U Smokefree] FW: Study Session in Champaign

[Varble, Matt]

A Small Success for the Smoke Free Ordinance Issue:

Following the May 11, 2005 community forum I participated in on behalf
of the CU Smoke Free Alliance, I appeared last night before the
Champaign City Council and publicly requested that they consider
conducting a study session on the enactment of a smoke-free ordinance
based upon the level of community interest and support of this issue.

I was asked several questions by Tom Bruno, Mayor Schwieghart, and Kathy
Ennen related to the independent survey and data collection methods
utilized by the Smoke Free Alliance.Tom Bruno also stated at the end of
the meeting his views have changed over time and he believes there is
sufficient enough community interest on the subject to warrant a study
session. The Mayor also told me that he wasn't sure how the new council
would come down on this issue and he also expressed some reservations
about the inclusion of bars into any smoke-free ordinance. I did reply
that the bar issue could be something discussed among members of council
as a potential exemption if they felt it was a problem, but that there
were cities that went 100% smoke free without suffering any long term
negative economic impact and that having a study session on the smoke
free ordinance issue was the right thing to do. (I also told the Mayor
privately that if this ordinance was studied and then enacted, it
politiically would not help me in the future as a campaign issue in
2007, so he may be interested in this issue simply to make me "go away",
which is fine with me since it would be for the greater good!)

 

This is extremely good news since it appears we can get the study
session off the ground. What they need is a study session request
memorandum along with the empirical data and survey conducted by Fako
and Associates. Scott and I could then bring it to City Hall and ask Mr.
Bruno to circulate the request by the next City Council Meeting.

 

 

Matt J. Varble

Archer Daniels Midland

1001 North Brush College Rd.

Decatur, IL 62521

1-800-637-5843 (2396)

 

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