Kankakee County Update
Bradley Village rejects proposed smoking ban
The Bradley Village Board rejected a proposed smoking ban Monday after finally voting on the often-delayed and always controversial issue. Citizens on both sides of the fuming debate called the board's action a victory. "Dang right I'm happy," proclaimed Steve Hamblen, a heavy smoker. "I'm going to go out and burn one." Hamblen spoke at numerous board meetings and prodded Bradley trustees to resist outlawing smoking in the growing village. Hamblen believes business owners should decide if smoking is allowed in their establishments and that government should not force a smoking ban on them. Lori Smietanski vigorously pushed for a smoking ban in Bradley, but she welcomed the defeat of the anti-smoking measure. "I think it was a bad ordinance, and I think adoption of a bad ordinance is worse than no ordinance at all," Smietanski said. The proposed law that was snuffed out by Bradley trustees would have banned smoking in numerous public areas, including restaurants. Smietanski believes the proposal was inadequate because it would have allowed smokers to light up in bar areas of restaurants. "I intend to continue working at the state level like I have been, and hopefully I can get the state to do the job that the mayor and trustees in the village of Bradley didn't want to do," Smietanski stated. All trustees were present at Village Hall for the long-awaited showdown. Even Trustee Dennis Coy, recuperating from a broken neck, attended with his head encased in a cage-like brace. Only Trustees Bob Redmond and Lori Gadbois voted in favor of the smoking ban. Just moments later, Trustee Bruce Adams asked for reconsideration of the defeated ordinance. He said he planned to amend the ordinance. But the nature of his amendment was never revealed during the meeting because trustees rejected the call to resurrect the ordinance for a second vote. Adams, who favors a smoking ban, told reporters after the meeting that he planned to make just one change to the rejected law. Adams planned to remove a controversial section mandating that the smoking prohibition would not take effect in Bradley until similar ordinances are approved by at least two of the neighboring communities of Kankakee, Bourbonnais and Manteno. Adams and Trustee Caryl Wadley-Foy said at a previous meeting that they could not support the anti-smoking ordinance as presented because it allowed other communities to make decisions for Bradley. But Adams never got the chance to make his amendment because the motion to bring the ordinance up for a second vote was defeated. Adams, Coy and Foy voted to reconsider the measure. Trustees Bob Martin, Redmond and Gadbois voted against the second chance. Mayor Gael Kent broke the tie with a no vote. Adams believes the future of a smoking ban in Bradley now hinges on efforts by state lawmakers to impose a statewide ban. "Hopefully they do the right thing," Adams said of state legislators. Read
Village's smoking ban proposal still lingering as debate continues to smolder Oct 11, 2006
Roy Bernard While Bourbonnais and Manteno officials have joined the discussion on a smoking ban in restaurants, some people are asking why Bradley hasn't already passed such a law. About 30 people attended a Bradley Village Board ordinance committee meeting Tuesday regarding the proposed Clean Indoor Air Ordinance. Rather than strictly banning smoking, the ordinance would set restrictions in a variety of public places, including restaurants, but not bars. Along with Bradley trustees and village administrator Kimberly Dickens, others taking part were Kankakee city Aldermen Cheryl Jones and Sam Ciaccio, Bourbonnais Trustees Scott Byrne, Jeannie Guebert and Vera Amiano, and Manteno village administrator Craig Blanchette. Blanchette and the Bourbonnais officials said they would bring the ordinance back to their respective villages for comment and consideration. Also, none of the representatives reported hearing any comments regarding the ordinance from residents or the restaurant operators. "This is a lot of information to swallow," Byrne said to ordinance committee members. Blanchette said, "This is certainly an interesting topic." The public was not allowed to speak during the meeting. Ordinance committee member Lori Gadbois said that a clarification is needed for restaurants that have a liquor license. "Business owners have a right as to how to market a business," she said. Another committee member, Dennis Coy, countered that bars should be the only establishments to allow smoking because people must be 21 years old to enter, and it would be their decision. Ciaccio pointed out that he would even support a restaurant having an enclosed smoking area. "Smoking is a serious thing, and secondhand smoke is just as serious," the Kankakee alderman said. He noted that his grandson suffers from asthma, making it difficult to breathe, especially in smoke-filled restaurants. "I want him to have a place that's smoke-free. You want to get sick? OK, but don't get everybody else sick," Ciaccio said. Issues of enforcement and establishment of smoking zones in front of restaurants were brought up by Bradley's Gadbois when Jones, from Kankakee, said that as of Jan. 2, Tinley Park will ban smoking in all public places. Also, there will be lines placed on the pavement to designate smoking areas. "What about in winter?" Gadbois said. "That gets so juvenile." Board member Bob Redmond said that while everyone agrees that smoking is a not healthy habit, "we have enforcement issues." After the meeting, some in attendance criticized the committee's inability to pass an ordinance in Bradley even though the matter was first addressed nine months ago. "This has been going on so long," said Larry Denoyer of Bradley. He quit smoking in 1988. "Why do we have to have every entity agree on this? There's not been any real progress." Bradley Trustee Bruce Adams and village resident Lori Smietanski agreed. "They don't seem to be trying to get the answers," said Smietanski, one of the leading advocates for the smoking ban. "I think the village of Bradley needs to move forward and do what's best for the people. There should not be a holdup because other communities are getting involved." Adams said that the board already has the votes to pass the smoking ban, but the measure is being held up in the ordinance committee. "This is absolutely nothing but a stall," Adams said. Read
Smoking ban issue comes to light again
July 7, 2006
Scott Boehmer and Roy Bernard
Bradley officials could re-ignite an effort to put out smoking in restaurants located in both Kankakee County and the city of Kankakee.
Kankakee County Board member Lisa Waskosky proposed a smoking ban in June, which would apply to restaurants located in unincorporated areas.
Waskosky's proposal was withdrawn without a vote being taken, because Bradley officials said at the time they were not interested in a village smoking ban.
Bradley village trustees reversed their position at their June 26 meeting and asked village attorney Alan Smietanski to draft an ordinance banning smoking in restaurants. No further action has been taken on the village's proposed ban, nor has a meeting on the issue been scheduled.
If Bradley officials ultimately approve a ban, Waskosky said she will ask the county board to follow suit.
Meanwhile, Kankakee Alderman Sam Ciaccio has also turned an eye toward Bradley as he pushes for a smoking ban in the city. Earlier this week, Ciaccio asked the city to have the Bradley proposal available for consideration at the next Kankakee City Ordinance Committee meeting on July 25.
"This is a very important health issue," Ciaccio told the council.
While Waskosky is a smoker, she is also a nurse and has seen the problems that can result from smoking.
"We don't want to punish anybody. That's never been the intent of this from the beginning," Waskosky said. "We just want everyone to be able to go out to eat and not have to deal with that (secondhand smoke)." Read
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