|
Ashtrays could be back for county |
|
|
Wednesday, 18 March 2009 |
Justices of the peace will soon consider putting cigarette ashtray stands on county property after the Public Works Committee endorsed the idea prior to Tuesday night’s Saline County Quorum Court meeting.
The committee will meet next month to amend a proposed ordinance that will allow cigarette ashtray stands to be placed near signs reminding residents that it is unlawful to smoke on county property.
County Judge Lanny Fite said he disagrees with the recommendation. “Once we put those ashtrays back out, we’ll be encouraging people to smoke,” he said.
JP Owen Bullock of Benton said that he has ashtrays outside his convenient store, Bullock’s Shell Superstop off Interstate 30, and said he feels indifferent about putting them in the county.
“I have (ashtrays) outside the building and it is a major problem,” Bullock said.
“The ashtrays do help some, because If I didn’t have them people would flick butts in the parking lot. But they are a pain. They stop up and gets water in them, despite being removed from the weather elements.”
JP Doug Curtis of Benton, however, said he believes placing cigarette ashtrays out in the county will decrease littering.
“I know it looks like we are encouraging smoking, but we are also encouraging them to put the cigarettes out into the ashtrays,” Curtis said.
“I know some people walk up to the courthouse with cigarettes and they put them out on the lawn or sidewalk because there is no ashtrays to put them out in.”
JP Kim Hanke of the Haskell-Glen Rose area asked the committee if a person can be fined for littering if they “throw down” cigarette butts.
Committee members said yes, but JP Tom Lish of Hot Springs Village said there is a greater concern than littering.
“My fear is once you put ashtray or containers out there, you are inviting employees and other people to congregate together and smoke,” Lish said.
“I get real concerned when teenagers observe county employees smoking. If they see them smoking, it can make them think it is OK to smoke.”
Lish explained that he was a 35-year smoker and that he “doesn’t hate smokers, it is their decision,” but that the Quorum Court “needs to do everything to discourage smoking.” However, after much discussion, the committee voted to recommend setting out cigarette ashtray stands in the county.
Fite said it will likely be a month before the subject is brought before the public works committee to vote on amending an ordinance to allow them in the county.
The measure likely will go before the Quorum Court next month as well.
|
Razorbacks
