As people have lobbed criticisms about the haste with which the smoking ban was proposed the the debate joined, the role of the Saint Paul and Ramsey County Advisory Board of Health has been largely ignored and should be mentioned.
The board is appointed by the mayor (half) and the county board (half). Their job is to review public health proposals and make some of their own. They began studing the important of dealing with smoking within Ramsey County three years ago. They studied the issue forth and back and came up with their recommendations which were subsequently sent to both the Saint Paul City Council and the County Board. This appointed citizen group recommended that the City and County make all building entrances smoke free to ease access of all citizens to the buildings and further recommended that both the City and County immediately begin working toward smokefree bars and restaurants. When the County and City began to work on the issue the Advisory Board again weighed in and have come out is support of the Saint Paul ordinance. This is not a political body. They are appointed volunteers whose job it is to work on issues of public health just as it is the job of the planning commission or the zoning board or park board to study, represent the commuity and make recommendations to elected officials. It was the Bloomington Advisory Board of Health, making a very similar recommendation, which sparked the Bloomington ordinance. That many on this forum are unfamiliar with the work of this important board does not in any way detract from their work nor does it take away from the fact that this process has, in reality, been going on for 3 years. -- Jeanne Weigum 651-646-3005 fax 651-646-0142 _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
