Gadsden discuss revisions to new smoking ordinance

Gadsden’s anti-smoking ordinance dominated Tuesday afternoon’s Public Safety Committee meeting.

The council passed the Smoke Free Air Ordinance, in June. It will prohibit smoking within 20 feet of public entrances to buildings and in bars, restaurants, businesses and other public places.

The ordinance was to have taken effect Jan. 1, but its implementation has been delayed because of issues raised on a few fronts.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. the cities largest employer, questioned the ordinance forcing their smoking employees outside  something that could be inconvenient enough to affect production  when the plant has both smoking and non-smoking break rooms.

An amendment was prepared that would exclude Goodyear from the ordinance, but some felt that would open the city to challenges from other businesses or privately owned, members-only organizations.

City Attorney Lee Roberts suggested the city could amend the ordinance so that it does not name Goodyear specifically, instead exempting industrial organizations that are not open to the public and have collective bargaining agreements. The rationale would be that a union works to protect its members.

Council President Deverick Williams said he believes exempting Goodyear put “collective bargaining ahead of public safety,” and would not support the ordinance if it exempted Goodyear.