Traci Moyer, Daily Reporter staff writer

A sea of red T-shirts and a packed council chambers greeted the Greenfield City Council Thursday as it debated a proposed smoking ban for the first time.

The temperature inside the room matched the intensity of the discussion as the council approved the ordinance on first reading, 5-2.

The ordinance, which still must win approval two more times before it can become law, would ban smoking in most workplaces, including restaurants. Councilmen Jason Horning and Kelly McClarnon voted against the measure.

Backers of the measure wore identical red T-shirts that had been bought with tobacco cessation funds. The turnout was part of a well-organized demonstration arranged by the county’s tobacco initiative, based at Hancock Regional Hospital. Attendees included teenagers and guest speakers that included a doctor dressed in a traditional white jacket. Representatives of several organizations, such as the American Heart Association, March of Dimes and American Cancer Society also attended.

Councilman J.D. Fortner’s wife and daughter, who were in the audience, were wearing the red shirts.

Those who spoke in favor of the ordinance far outnumbered those who opposed it.

The first person to speak was Bruce Hetrick from Indianapolis.

In an emotional presentation, Hetrick told the council that his wife had died in his arms from a “smoker’s cancer.” Hetrick said his wife, Pam Klein, was a nonsmoker and that secondhand smoke caused her death. He also said the proposed ordinance was not a violation of anyone’s rights.

“Our rights have always been restricted the moment we impose our rights on other’s rights,” Hetrick said.

Richard Vaughan said he almost didn’t speak to the council after Hetrick’s presentation.

“I had no idea it would be so emotionally charged and I was ill prepared,” he said. “I felt it was extremely well organized and overwhelmingly pro-ordinance and not a fair projection of the people.”

Greenfield-Central High School student Maggie Leonard said she was there to represent not only future customers and workers, but present ones.

“Look at all the red in here,” she told the council. “This ordinance is inevitable, and we are going to make this happen.”

After listening for three hours to several dozen speakers, most of them high school students, the council introduced the ordinance that would eliminate smoking in public places.

While the ordinance has passed its first reading, it won’t become law until it passes on two more readings and a final vote that will take place at the next council meeting on Oct. 27.

McClarnon asked several questions before casting his vote against it, including whether the ordinance would protect employees of the American Legion, Fraternal Order of Police and Elks Club. Councilman Jon Clark, who introduced the ordinanced, told him the ordinance would not protect those workers because those organizations are exempt.

“I think we should either make it smoke-free for everyone or reconsider it,” McClarnon said. “I want it to be fair for everyone.”

Horning said he would like to see the issue be a referendum item.

“I think we should educate instead of mandating,” Horning said. “I can see the red shirts very well. Brandee (Bastin, head of of the county tobacco initiative) has done a good job of it at the hospital.”

The 5-2 vote gives the measure a stronger first-reading foothold than the narrow 4-3 margin of approval a different ordinance received a year ago. Then, one changed vote on second reading torpedoed the measure.

Thursday’s vote gave opponents reason to be discouraged.

Said Ann Tomey, who runs Annie’s Restaurant in downtown Greenfield: “We don’t have a vote or any rights because we’re smokers.”
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