By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
November 3, 2004
Smokers will no longer be able to light up and smoke inside or near Meridian restaurants, bars, museums and other establishments.
After an hour-long discussion, Meridian city councilmen voted 3-2 Tuesday to pass the Smokefree Air Act, which will prohibit smoking in businesses and fine first-time violators and business owners up to $50.
Councilmen Mary B. Perry of Ward 2, Barbara Henson of Ward 3 and Bobby Smith of Ward 5 voted for the Smokefree Air Act. Councilmen George Thomas of Ward 1 and Jesse E. Palmer Sr. of Ward 4 voted against the act.
The ordinance is set to take effect in 30 days.
Other cities
Meridian became the third city in the state to pass a version of the Smokefree Air Act. The cities of Jackson and Metcalf passed similar ordinances earlier this year.
About 75 people crowded the city's municipal courtroom Tuesday during the regular council meeting to show their support for the ordinance. Some of those supporters and other city officials said they are hesitant to celebrate the passage because Mayor John Robert Smith still has the power to veto the ordinance in the next 10 days.
During the council meeting, the mayor asked councilmen to schedule a work session on the issue before they voted. But they didn't. After the meeting, Mayor Smith said he had not yet decided whether or not he would veto it.
Councilmen object
Thomas and Palmer wanted to delay a vote until after they had a chance to sift through the ordinance in detail. They complained that they didn't receive a copy of the ordinance until minutes before the meeting.
But Councilman Smith, who worked with the American Cancer Society to bring the ordinance to the council, said he had been trying for weeks to schedule a work session on the ordinance.
Regardless, Thomas said, he had major concerns with the ordinance and how it will be enforced.
But Anna Allred, a senior at Meridian High School and minority representative of the school's student council, disagreed with Thomas and other councilmen. She spoke for a group of about 15 MHS students and members of the student council and told the councilmen that the ordinance was needed.