The president of the Delaware County Board of Commissioners said he's willing to wait two months to hear from the state attorney general about the legality of a county-wide smoking ban before taking further action.
"I'm ready to move on this," Larry Crouch, president of the board, said. "We're going to get one. Delaware County is going to have one."
All three commissioners said they support some sort of smoking ban at Wednesday's public hearing at Muncie Central High School.
However, Crouch said the ordinance that passes will be some sort of compromise.
"I think there's going to be some give and take in this," he said.
The board expressed concern about what parts of Delaware County fall within its jurisdiction. There may be a chance that an ordinance passed by the county commissioners will not legally affect incorporated areas of the county, like Muncie.
Crouch said an ordinance passed by the county as well as the city may be a possibility.
"The mayor has come on board," he said.
During the meeting, several Delaware County residents voiced their opinions on the idea of a smoking ban.
"Secondhand smoke is no joke, and I say that from a personal standpoint because I'm affected by it, and my health has been affected by it," Judy Mays, a representative of the Minority Tobacco-Free Coalition of Delaware County, said.
Michael Alexander spoke on behalf of the Tavern Owners Association.
"Somebody needs to take a look at how we're going to enforce it if we pass it," he said. "One of the worst things to do is to pass something that's unenforceable."
County Commissioner John Brooke said he intends to confirm the enforceability and effectiveness of a ban before the board moves forward.
"I want to make sure that we enact an ordinance that is effective, that is enforceable and something that applies to everybody throughout the county," he said.
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