LIMA, OH (WLIO)- The topic of smoking and vaping at Lima city parks and outdoor recreational facilities was heavily discussed Monday evening before the Lima City Council regular meeting later Monday night.
The Public Works Committee held a meeting regarding Ordinance 205-22. The ordinance, which was moved to its third reading, would designate all city parks and outdoor recreational facilities within Lima as smoke and vape-free. At the meeting, there was an open discussion about the proposed legislation with some attendees stating their support.
"I'm a mom, and I'm a teacher. And so, I always like working with kids and dealing with kids and taking kids to the parks. And, to be honest, it impresses me when I'm in a community that has smoke-free areas. I know that being able to point to signage and tell children that smoking isn't allowed there will not just keep adults from smoking around the kids, but also encourage those teens and tweens that have been experimenting with smoking to not do it around their friends," says Carla Thompson, Third Ward Councilor, Lima City Council.
While support for the ordinance was expressed at the committee meeting, there were some that were opposed to the smoking legislation.
"If we want to put in some language or put in some signs that say 'please don't smoke in this area,' but to make an ordinance making it illegal to do when we're not going to really have any enforcement issue on it- I just think it's overstepping our bounds and even writing an ordinance for it," says Jon Neeper, Seventh Ward Councilor, Lima City Council.
Following the Public Works Committee meeting, Lima City Council held their regular meeting and defeated the smoking ordinance by a 6-to-2 vote. While the ordinance has been defeated, the Public Works Committee will continue a discussion about placing signage that discourages smoking in city parks.
