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Smoking banned at Thorsby parks
By Justin Averette Published 8:44pm Tuesday, September 6, 2011The Thorsby Town Council voted Tuesday to ban smoking at town parks. The move goes a step further than when the council agreed to permit smoking at designated areas.
Pam Price, who brought the issue before the council back in the spring, came before the council Tuesday night asking to ban smoking completely.
“I want the ballpark smoke free. If they want to smoke, they can smoke at their house,” Price said. “This is about the kids.”
Neil Benson made the motion to ban smoking in town parks, which Jean Nelson seconded. Council members passed the motion unanimously.
Concerns still remain over how the ordinance will be enforced when ball starts back up again.
Mayor Dearl Hilyer said any ordinance is only as good as the police department’s ability to enforce it.
“Every road in Thorsby has a speed limit sign … (A smoking ban) is only as good as the ability to enforce it.”
Thorsby Police Chief Rodney Barnett said his department can go to parks for inspections but won’t be present around the clock to look for smokers.
More specifics, like what to fine those caught smoking, still have to be finalized at future council meetings.
“We’ve got to follow through,” said Benson.
In other business, the council took the following actions:
•Hired Forrest Silas as a full-time police officer. He already was working part-time for the town and replaces an officer who resigned in June.
•Increased the fee charged for when someone writes a bad check to the town from $25 to $40. Town Clerk Denis Gunn said Thorsby has seen an uptick in the number of bad checks recently.
•Public Works Director Terry Jackson reported that the town had to pick up several fallen limbs after Tropical Storm Lee. He also said the town’s wells held up well during the recent drought.
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Well, I guess I will just stop buying my cigarettes in Thorsby!!! You might not think that is alot, but I plan on getting everyone I know to go to Jemison or Clanton to buy them. And since I will have to stop in Jemison or Clanton to buy them…I guess I will just fill up my tank (about $160 per week) and buy my and my family’s drinks and/or snacks for the ballpark and everyday use in those towns too. I usually stop at Main Street Market everyday, either in the morning or after school, to get my kids a drink and/or snack for school and my cigarettes. I guess Thorsby will just have to raise taxes on other things to make up the difference.
I thought we had it solved by having designated smoking areas, but some people just won’t be happy until others have to suffer. So now I guess we (smokers) have to walk out to the road. THAT IS A LOAD OF CRAP!! I won’t even purchase anything from the concession stand, just because of one lady….I hope she is prepared to buy a lot from Thorsby because I won’t be. If I remember correctly, she lives in Jemison…. TAKE YOUR KIDS TO JEMISON TO PLAY BALL AND STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT ANOTHER CITY’S LAWS!!!!
Well, just as “one lady” got prayer removed from schools, looks like “one lady” got smoking banned from Thorsby town parks!!! I know that it had to be voted on by others, but she had to initially get it started so to speak, so that something would be done. I thought the smokers were respecting the initial plan, which was to move away from the bleachers about 100 feet or more, or just go outside the fence on the hill. Everytime I came to a ballgame, that’s where I always saw the smokers, outside the fence. This situation won’t affect me, be/c I don’t smoke, but I do think it will affect the amount of sign-ups for the next baseball season, just for this reason. They will just take their “money” and kid to another place to play ball. I do agree with not smoking around kids, but if you are outside in an “open area” then it’s not the same as being in an “enclosed area” with no place for the smoke to go but into your lungs. That’s totally different…I also think it’s just ridiculous sometimes how just “one person” can get something banned, just be/c they don’t agree with it. Just my opinion…
Not that I am “in the know” on any of this but most parks now a days are built with some sort of federal/state grant money and that money comes with guidelines so, if that is the case here, then smoking should have never been allowed in the first place. Also, should they go to Clanton to play ball, they will encounter the same smoke free rule there and maybe Jemison, not too sure there. The smokers that are not adhereing to the rules need to get used to the non smoking rule if their little one ends up playing high school sports.
This would never even become an issue if smokers would just use common courtesy to begin with. If you want to smoke, move far away from people who do not.
I am a smoker. I smoke a lot and have smoked for a long time. So I am qualified to answer to these comments…If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas…
If smokers would behave…but many,many do not and never will; acting as though the world is their ashtray.
Smoking is an adult behavior. It is offensive to many. It has no place at a kids ballgame. Even I can refrain from smoking long enough for church, ballgames, movies, riding in other’s cars, etc.
And to the one’s who will come to Clanton to buy cigarettes and shop I’d like to say thank you…we need the revenue…However when you visit our city parks please remember to refrain from smoking.