05-12-14 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 12, 2014 Council President Oliver Davis- It takes courage to listen to others that don't have the same beliefs. It is easy to pass laws that go along with your personal beliefs. I've worked with people that drink, and smoke. But it is all their choice, my life decisions should not be enforced upon other people's human rights. I have not seem any documentation that the County or Mishawaka were asked to work with us on this bill. When we live in a city we need to reach out to other counties so that it is the same across the board. I have to respect those who make certain life choices that I do not. We can't afford taking our police off the streets to enforce the bars. I came to South Bend despite people, who smoke and drink, realistically where am I going to go where I went to college, they smoke and drink there too. Give us some time to go and sit with other counties and work the plan so that both neighboring counties are happy and South Bend is not at a disadvantage. Councilmember Dr. Ferlic- I think it takes a lot of courage to talk to families who lost loved ones to smoking and non - smoking, more so than diet. I think South Bend should take the lead on enforcing this and lead the way for neighboring counties. I hope we would have the courage to do the right thing. Councilmember Dr. Varner- First, I thought we resolved this three years, that bars we post whether they were smoking or non - smoking for customers. That way the bars have the choice, we can't make decisions for everybody. We can't make the right of one person greater than the right of another. I think outreach education is more important. Smoking is actually down, despite everything. Last time I checked smoking is legal, drinking is legal, what you do on your property is your choice. Councilmember Mr. Ferlic- I appreciate everyone's input. With regards to the importance of workplace. A lot of working class citizens don't have that choice. We are here to protect all citizens. Councilmember White - This has been and will continue to be a tough issue. Smoke free air will continue to be an issue. The issue is how get to a point where we have common ground, for both our citizens and business owners. We have sixty days before this law will pass. I would urge during the sixty days that you sit down face to face with Mishawaka, with City Council, and with small business owners on how to move on with outreach education and what will incur with regards to enforcement. I would want to have all that information provided so that we can have public discussion and give a report back to the community so that we have ample time to report an opportunity for the community to respond. I do believe that it is a health issue, but I value everyone's viewpoint. We need to have answers to all those questions. I have involved in previous ordinances where we never had the opportunity to combat the issues. I would like this to go back to health and public safety committee. Council President in order for us to make a decision tonight we don't have all the information available. There are things that haven't been done, when the county has done this in the past they did this in three meetings. I think you bring up great ideas but it would need to allow for us to have more time. Councilmember Dr. Ferlic- I think your points are great and it should go back to the health and public safety committee to come up with those particular facts. Councilmember Henry Davis- I disagree, I don't think it will be done. We make decisions based upon what we think people can do. Just because someone works at the bar doesn't mean that they can't be a doctor or a lawyer or a sound mind, continues to prove that this is not a good ideal. We do not live in a cast society, this is America we have a choice. South Bend is extremely diverse. It is a discriminatory attitude. Councilmember Dr. Ferlic- I disagree as I mentor several kids at Washington High School. Councilmember Henry Davis- that's the attitude that I'm talking about, I'm not talking about a white man mentoring black kids. 11