Tyler

By ADRIENNE GRAHAM
Staff Writer

Tyler citizens have one more opportunity to voice their opinion to city council members on a proposed city smoking ban.

The Tyler City Council will hold a special meeting to receive recommendations from the Smoking Task Force regarding the new ordinance at 9 a.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 212 N. Bonner Ave.

The ordinance that will be presented by the Smoking Task Force at a special City Council meeting on Wednesday can be seen at www.cityoftyler.org in the “My Tyler News” column.

The ordinance prohibits smoking in “all enclosed areas available to and customarily used by the general public,” including bars, restaurants nightclubs, bingo halls and bowling alleys.

The proposed ordinance also calls for smoking to be prohibited within 20 feet of a designated non-smoking facility including balconies and patios.

Other smoke-free zones designated by the ordinance include public outdoor events and city-owned facilities such as parks and playgrounds.

Exemptions from the ordinance include retail tobacco stores and private organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The task force is recommending that first-time violators be charged with a misdemeanor offense and a fine of up to $300, and a fine of $500 on the second offense.

If adopted by the council, the ordinance would go into effect in 60 days.

The Task Force is composed of eight Tyler business owners, medical professionals and legal experts. Task force members include Nathaniel Moran, City Council member District 5; Chris Simons, mayor pro tem; Bruce Carter, MD, diagnostic radiologist; Bobby Curtis, business owner and chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission; Rick Eltife, restaurant owner; Jonathan MacClements, MD, president, Smith County Medical Society; Brian McCalla, chair of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Council; Felicity Reedy, president, Genecov Group; and Robert Westbrook, restaurant owner, former president of the East Texas Restaurant Association and the Smith County Health District.