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Rethinking the smoking ban
Alderman McCorkle is pushing an amendment for smoking rooms.
Chad Hunter
News-Leader

Nixa — Efforts to put smoking back on the menu in Nixa restaurants resurfaced this week.
Alderman Charles McCorkle wants board members to revisit his idea to offer restaurant owners a way around the blanket smoking ban passed in February.

The ban goes into effect June 8.

Aldermen will meet this week for a planning session prior to Monday's official board meeting. The smoking ban issue is on the planning session's agenda for discussion.

"McCorkle is still trying to obtain a consensus to modify the ordinance," City Administrator Brian Bingle said.

McCorkle says separate, ventilated rooms for smokers could lessen a hit to restaurant owners' wallets.

Last month, he and Aldermen Steve Tallaksen sponsored the amendments to a split board. Aldermen Mark Loge, Tracy Haist and Steve Faseler were content with the law they already passed.

McCorkle, Tallaksen and new board member Roger Meadows said they felt the amendments offered a fair compromise.

"It's an amendment to the smoking ban to allow for existing businesses to enclose a room, with a sealed wall, complete with a regular door," Tallaksen said. "Nobody under the age of 18 would be allowed in the room — employees or other guests."

Tallaksen said to create the smoking room would cost thousands of dollars.

"If the business wants to make that investment to keep my family safe, I think they should be allowed to. Government has spent too much in taking rights away."

On Feb. 12, aldermen voted 5-1 in favor of the smoking ban, which originally targeted only restaurants but was expanded to include pool halls, bingo parlors and bowling alleys. McCorkle was the lone "no" vote.

City officials said a 2006 survey mailed with utility bills showed residents were in favor of the ban 3-1.