January 2007

Re: City Park Softball League Restriction of Smoking Correspondence.

On February 14, 2006, "An Ordinance of the St. Joseph County Council Restricting Smoking of Tobacco in Certain Places and Establishing Penalties for Violations Thereof" was passed.  This correspondence is to all city softball league players and their officials respectfully highlighting:

SECTION 3.  Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places and Certain Places of Employment

As amended reads:

L.  All St. Joseph County, City, Township and Town municipally owned, leased and/or operated parks and recreation areas.

After the effective date of the Ordinance, which was April 10, 2006, the St. Joseph County Health Department received numerous complaints regarding softball players and officials smoking on park property; namely , in the dugouts, on the field, and on the sidelines during and after games.

This correspondence is to clarify that under the Ordinance, smoking is not allowed on park property except in a car with the windows closed.

All complaints issued to our department regarding smoking in parks will be investigated, and any person identified as smoking on park property will be issued a fifty ($50.00) fine as warranted under the Ordinance.

As reads:

SECTION 9.  Violations and Penalties

G.  A person who smokes in an area where smoking is prohibited by the provision of the Ordinance shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not exceeding fifty ($50.00) dollars, which fine shall be processed through the St. Joseph County Health Department.  Furthermore, if after multiple violations have occurred by either the same person or the same establishment and the St. Joseph County Health Department has reason to believe that fines will not be effective in enforcing this Ordinance, then the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office shall be empowered to seek any and all other remedies provided by law.

The Ordinance in its entirety can be read/downloaded from: http://www.stjospehcountyindiana.com/sjchd/food_services.htm

All questions regarding this correspondence or the Ordinance can be directed to Rita Hooton at 574-235-9721.