Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Calvert City council tables expanded smoking, vaping ban for revisions
Summary
Council members agreed the ordinance’s scope and enforcement language needed clearer definitions and signage rules; they voted to table the second reading of Ordinance 25-08 so staff can revise wording on enforcement, 'reasonable distance' and listed outdoor areas.
Calvert City’s council on the October agenda introduced a second reading of Ordinance 25-08, a measure that would prohibit smoking and vaping of any product in city-owned buildings, vehicles, enclosed public spaces and certain designated outdoor recreation areas. The ordinance as read enumerated locations such as city hall, the civic center, the splash pad, playgrounds, amphitheater, sports fields, the skate park and areas where spectators gather.
Committee member (Speaker 6) urged softer enforcement language, proposing that “compliance be achieved primarily through education and cooperation,” adding that “Citizens are encouraged to courteously inform individuals who are smoking or vaping in violation of this ordinance of the applicable restrictions” and that those uncomfortable approaching violators should instead contact a city department for assistance. The City Administrator (Speaker 1) and other councilors discussed how that language interacts with a later clause that lists city staff and departments as responsible for enforcement.
Mayor (Speaker 5) acknowledged the policy intent but flagged practical concerns about asking staff or residents to confront potentially hostile individuals, and questioned whether the document should require employees to intervene or instead direct them to call police. On the geographic scope, councilors debated whether outdoor areas should be specified by a fixed metric (the ordinance includes a 15-foot buffer from entrances for buildings) or by signage designating smoke-free zones. Several members said areas such as the splash pad and playgrounds should be clearly identified in the ordinance or on posted signs.
Given remaining questions about enforcement language, how to define "reasonable distance" at sports venues and whether to use signage to identify additional smoke‑free outdoor areas, the council agreed to delay formal adoption. Speaker 8 moved to table the second reading so staff can incorporate agreed edits and return with a final version; the motion was seconded and the council tabled the ordinance by acclimation.
The tabling leaves Ordinance 25-08 in second-reading status; council members said they want the final printed ordinance available for review before taking a formal adoption vote.
