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REGULAR MEETING <br />MARCH 29, 2016 <br />heart disease as possible, and as many heart attacks as possible then providing certain <br />exemptions would run counter to that goal. <br />Regarding vaping, Councilmember Ferlic stated he has talked to a number of vape shop owners <br />and their state lobby group. They provided a number of different studies citing vaping is not <br />harmful but they seem to be industry funded. The World Health Organization, Food and Drug <br />Administration and National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health have all provided <br />recommendations on vaping and do not recommend it indoors or in the workplace. <br />Councilmember Ferlic asked the City Council Attorney to address the question regarding the <br />substitute bill and whether proper procedure was followed. <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand stated proper procedure was followed for Bill 11- <br />16 and the two substitute bills. The original bill was filed on Wednesday March 9th prior to the <br />noon deadline on that date. That filing satisfied all standards on a filing and properly accepted by <br />the Office of the City Clerk. Sometime thereafter the Clerk's office gave the filing Bill Number <br />11 -16 and placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled Common Council meeting for <br />first reading and set for public hearing for this evening and referred to the Health and Public <br />Safety Committee. The first reading of the bill is only the title of the bill. City Clerk Kareemah <br />Fowler read the title of Bill 11 -16. That title has not been amended, only if the title has been <br />amended does the procedure start over because it would have to be republished by the Clerk's <br />staff. The procedures of both substitute filings were completed properly. The Council has their <br />responsibility to see if reasonable steps were taken with regard to their analysis. <br />Councilmember Ferlic stated nothing in this ordinance prohibit tobacco shops or vape shops <br />from selling their products on a retail basis and they are welcomed to do so in South Bend. What <br />this ordinance protects is from smoking indoors. Regarding flavoring for e- cigarettes, there is a <br />Harvard study from 2015 showing the flavoring within vaping solutions is carcinogenic. <br />Councilmember Ferlic acknowledged there is going to be fear with any sort of change and that is <br />understandable. Four (4) years ago there was a lot of fear regarding the GLBT Equality <br />ordinance and there were people then afraid about any negative impacts on business. Similar to <br />now, we relied on research and on data and experiences from other communities and did what <br />was right for South Bend. We want businesses to succeed in South Bend and we want people to <br />be healthy and reduce cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. This ordinance can help us achieve <br />both goals. Everyone has been affected in some way by heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. <br />These are brutal diseases, yes sometimes they happen without exposure to secondhand smoke but <br />we do know that second hand smoke tremendously increases the chance of these diseases. We <br />can take a major step here tonight to reduce those diseases and save people's lives. <br />Council Vice President Davis asked if any of the Councilmembers had questions for <br />Councilmember Ferlic at this time. <br />Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated she has no questions based on months and months of <br />research on this topic and going back to before when it was before the state legislature. <br />Councilmember Dr. Varner stated this is the third time we have discussed this and not much has <br />changed to the proposal. <br />Council Vice President Oliver Davis asked regarding the City of Indianapolis and Fort Wayne if <br />they were unigov and the County and City governments were combined. <br />Councilmember Ferlic stated the City of Indianapolis is but there are distinct municipal entities <br />within the city that are separate and do not fall under the ordinance. Fort Wayne and Allen <br />County are not unigov and actually the town of New Haven is right next to Fort Wayne. <br />Council Vice President asked if the Indianapolis ordinance covers all of Marion County. <br />Councilmember Ferlic responded no it does not cover some areas that are not part of their unigov <br />system. He stated he does not know the percentage of how much is not covered. He asked if <br />anyone from Smoke Free St. Joe had that information to bring it forward during their time to <br />speak. We are not just looking at Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. <br />5 <br />