As proposed by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the proposed change is to make all county parks tobacco free. Currently all the parks are smoke free, with smoking allowed in the parking lots and designated areas, but there was concern the smoke still affects those trying to get into the parks who have to walk through clouds of smoke.
Last month, when the board first discussed the change. County Manager William Wilson admitted the move will be “very controversial,” but at that time said he was only looking for direction from the commissioners on which way to go. The board opted to go just with the parks, as was requested.
Current Parks and Recreation rules prohibit any player, coach, manager, team mother or game official listed on the roster and league officials from using any tobacco products in any form as well as the consumption of alcohol on the playing fields or courts.
The total ban at parks, even as just a policy change, Wilson said last month, would still require a county ordinance change so the policy matches with the county’s smoke free ordinance, which includes all county owned and leased property and buildings.
Commission Chairman Gwen Flowers-Taylor last month said she had concerns about the “not really healthy behavior in children.”
Last month, Flowers-Taylor, who also serves on the Recreation Advisory Board, said when parents bring their children to the park, “we don’t want you angling off at some distant place to get your smoke on.”
She also noted the work teams from the jail, “spend a lot of time picking up cigarette butts.”
The board is also scheduled to consider assessment of fines and/or possible revocation of license hearing for Coles Corner, 7051 Newnan Road, Griffin; a notice from the Employee’s Retirement System of Georgia not to offer retirement to tax commissioners and tax office employees elected or hired on or after July 1, 2012; and an intergovernmental contract for conducting of municipal elections between the City of Griffin and Spalding County.
The board will also consider approval of dispatch communication agreement between Tenet Health System Spalding, (Spalding Regional Medical Center) and Spalding County. The previous agreement expired more than a year ago, and the county has been passing continuing resolutions to continue the service during negotiations with the hospital, which have centered on whether the hospital should continue to pay, as was agreed when the Hospital Authority sold the hospital.
The board is also scheduled to vote on the first reading of the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget of $87,705,540. The second and final reading is scheduled for June 28, with FY 2013 beginning July 1.
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