BJ's Lounge bartender Samantha Ness, at center, tells the Soldotna city council that she opposes a measure to ban smoking in public buildings. She was the last of a line of people to voice their opinions on the issue during Wednesday night's meeting.
Story last updated at 3/13/2009 - 2:20 pm
Smokers: The bar should stay a bar
Just a few hours after the city of Soldotna failed to introduce its proposed smoking ban, Barton Mulder sits at the bar in the Maverick Saloon, alternating between sips of beer and drags on a cigarette. Had the ban been introduced and passed, the latter would have been outlawed.
"When I come to a bar, I expect to be able to smoke," Mulder said. "How are you suppose to relax and have a couple drinks when you're a smoker and not be able to smoke?
"I don't think they should be able to take that right away from the bar," he said.
"I shouldn't have to go outside to smoke," said Maverick patron Candy Hurst on Wednesday.
If smoking is banned in a bar, what's next? Hurst asked. Are they going to ban swearing? "It's just one more freedom we're going to lose," she said.
Bar patrons aren't alone in their thoughts on the proposed smoking bans. Bar owners, managers and employees have been out in large numbers at both Kenai and Soldotna city council meetings over the last month, protesting the ban. Many of those in support of the ban have also attended to voice their opinions.
"This ordinance is discriminating against businesses in Soldotna," said BJ's owner Ardie Crawford at Wednesday's meeting.
"If you were to ban smoking in the bingo hall, it would push the business elsewhere," said Sal's Diner owner Ted Sisson, who rents out the back of his building as a bingo hall.
"I have six smoke eaters in the bingo hall," he said. "Only one in 100 restaurant customers is offended by smoke (coming from the bingo hall)."
"Every one of my employees smokes," said Molly Blakeley-Poland, bar manager of Hooligans. "We should all be able to make our own decisions about smoking."
"I'm an employee of a smoking establishment," said Samantha Ness, a bartender at BJ's Lounge.
"It is my choice to work there as it is the choice of our customers to enter or not," she said. "This is an income my family cannot afford to lose."
"If you're a drinker that doesn't smoke, open a bar that doesn't allow smoking," Mulder said. "The bar should stay a bar the way it's been for a couple hundred years."
Phil Hermanek contributed to this report.
Mike Nesper can be reached at mike.nesper@peninsulaclarion.com.
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