Council committee sets its own pace in examining workplace
smoking

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By ROD STETZER
rod.stetzer@lee.net
Saturday, July 12, 2008 9:53 PM CDT

Mary Holle wondered if Ireland can ban smoking in bars why Chippewa Falls can’t do the same.

“Wisconsin is surrounded by states who have had the courage to be concerned about the safety and well-being of its residents,” the Chippewa Falls resident said during the city’s Transportation Committee meeting on Thursday night.

“I think the Chippewa Falls City Council has that same courage.”

If the council ever takes that step, or any step involving workplace smoking, it won’t be anytime soon.

The committee, which oversees public safety issues in the city, took no action on the issue.

“We’ll recommend further discussion,” committee chairman and council member Jack Covill said.

Council member Brian Flynn said the committee will suggest holding another meeting on a workplace smoking ban and have speakers answer questions on the subject.

The third member of the committee, council member Robert Hoekstra, wanted to do more. He moved to ban all smoking in workplaces in Chippewa Falls. But neither Flynn nor Covill seconded that motion, so it died.

Covill repeatedly said the city should follow standards set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration on smoking in workplaces. That’s the reason why we spend millions on regulatory agencies, he said.

“The standards are there, and they are being met,” agreed Dwayne Lambert, general manager of Dewey’s Road House, 1 E. Canal St. Lambert opposes a city ban on workplace smoking.

Hoekstra said a plan defeated by the council to set up an ad hoc committee to look at the smoking issue would have broadened the discussion. An ad hoc committee would have included experts and would have made recommendations, he said.

As it is now, the matter is at a standstill.

Council President Dennis Doughty said he hadn’t considered proposing a resolution or ordinance on workplace smoking at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

“I was hoping we would get direction from the committee,” he said.

Asked if there was an end point in the discussion, Doughty said: “I like the committee process in getting things done. I can’t say where it will end.”

Other council decisions have taken much longer.

“We’ve had sign (restriction) proposals that have taken months and months,” Doughty said.

But he expressed concern there’s not enough of a consensus on the council to pass any measure on the subject.

Mayor Dan Hedrington did not attend the committee meeting. Neither did council members Greg Hoffman, Greg Dachel or Jason Anderson.