By Sam Thomas
BLOOMINGTON – No more vaping at city-owned buildings in Bloomington.
That was the decision handed down at Monday night’s Bloomington City Council meeting. Mayor Tari Renner said it’s a health issue.
“This is a health issue,” said Renner. “Anytime you spew an addictive poison in public…there is definitely evidence to suggest that it is harmful,” Renner added.
The ordinance was passed with a unanimous 9-0 vote, and will amend the city code to adopt the provisions of the Smoke Free Illinois Act for the use of e-cigarettes.
While the use E-Cigarettes will no longer be permitted at City owned buildings, vaping will remain legal at privately owned properties. A fine of $100 will be levied to first-time violators of the provision, with a $250 fine handed down for each subsequent violation.
Also making news at Monday night’s City Council was an ordinance that would have appointed a Deputy Liquor Commissioner for the City of Bloomington.
The ordinance was pulled from Monday night’s Bloomington City Council agenda in the interest of further clarification.
Two officials on the Bloomington Liquor Commission will soon transition to other commissions, and Renner would like to see the appointment of a Deputy Liquor Commissioner, rather than to fill the two vacant positions. He says the appointment would not affect the day-to-day functions of the Liquor Commission.
“Everything will operate pretty much the same way,” Renner said. “Even if the ordinance had passed, it would give the mayor no additional powers…it was mainly to clarify. The real change here would be adding a Deputy Liquor Commissioner.”
Renner said he isn’t after a power grab when it comes to appointing a Deputy Liquor Commissioner.
“The Liquor Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the mayor,” Renner said. “The Mayor can have no one assist, that’s the language in the law, so the mayor can have people assist him or her, or not. So everything will operate pretty much the same way.”
The ordinance could be reintroduced at a future City Council meeting.
Sam Thomas can be reached at Sam@WJBC.com.
