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Home My WebLink AboutA022 - Letter from Welch Avenue Station =Welch Ave.Siatim 207 Welch Ave./P.O. Box 1131 /Ames, IA 5001V/(515)292-2334(evenings) "A Drinking Establishment" February 7, 2001 The Honorable Mayor Ted Tedesco And Members of the Ames City Council 515 Clark Ames, IA 50010 RE: Smoking Ordinance 1 "LESS THAN 10% EXEMPTION", INCREASE TO "15%" ?? As part owner of'Welch Ave. Station', I would request that you increase the 10% EXEMPTION" to "15%" in the proposed smoking ordinance. This should also include food that is being brought into the bar(this is the part the affects us and many bars like us) from outside sources. From the DRAFT of the ordinance that I have, I am referring to Sec.21A.201. I have spoken with each of you personally about our reasons to increase the percent, simply wanting to provide food alternatives for our customers without being penalized. I also spoke with George Belitsos, Len Monte and Mary Kitchell of the `Ames Tobacco Task Force', and they thought this request was an insignificant part of the overall proposal, was a reasonable request and was okay to do. I have spoken to Bob Cummings & Rich Johansen from the 'Restaurant group' who helped put together this ordinance, and they also thought this request should not pose a problem and was okay to do. I have spoken with Andy White @ the "Tip-Top" bar, Kathy Kempen @ the "Fox Lounge" and Tom Zmolek @ "Thumb's" bar and they all felt the higher percent was more reasonable. The reason we are requesting the increase to 15% is so that our bars can continue to provide our customers, with food availability without being penalized. This food option for our customers is extremely important to help control and to slow down intoxication in our drinking customers. When a customer leaves our bar, instead of a .08 blood alcohol level, they might only be a .06 level. Instead of a .07, they might be only a .05 level, etc. If they're driving, they'll be a little bit safer on the road. When people eat more, they drink less. And when people begin to drink too much, a food option should be available for them. We are taught to do this by many Nationally Certified Alcohol training programs that teach management & employees how to serve alcohol with food responsibly. At our bar, our manager is a "T.I.P.S" Certified Trainer (Training for Intervention Procedures). He is qualified and teaches these responsible techniques to our employees, as well as to employees of other bars. 'Welch Ave Station' is a bar, not a restaurant. We do not prepare any food on premises but do have food brought into the bar. Several other bars (mentioned above) operate like this too, bringing in outside food (such as pizzas, sandwiches, appetizers, etc.) for customers. At this time, I feel that ALL bars should be offering and serving food in the range of '0-15% of total sales in order to be operating responsibly while giving customer these food choices. In our care, it has nothing to do with making any more profit. We do not make any money at all from food brought into cur bar. In fact, the more money people spend on food brought into our bar, the less money they have to spend on alcohol. Our sole intent of providing food for customers is to slow down and help control intoxication, without being penalized, and it's that simple. I will be at the February 13, 2001 Council mE�eting in case you would have any further questions. Respectfully requested, Tom Northrop, President& Part-Owner `Welch Ave. Station' I 1 acrWrap-Up & Minutes of 02/13/01 Page 5 of 8 health issue, not as a smoker's right issue. Mr. Lawrence pointed out the successful results of similar ordinances passed in the states of California and Wisconsin. Debra Sellers, 484 Rookwood Drive, Ames, spoke as a proponent of the ordinance in its compromised state. She thanked the Council for their willingness to get involved in this public health issue. George Papouchis, 114 S. Duff, Ames, stated that as a restaurant owner, he felt that he was being put "between a rock and a hard place." He had not seen the compromise and questioned the City Attorney if the ordinance would apply to bar areas that were separate from the restaurant area. City Attorney John Klaus advised that he sees Mr. Papouchis's establishment as one area, and the ordinance would apply. Kathy Kempen, 127 N. Oak, Ames, was present. As a bar owner with food sales' receipts of less than 10%, she believes that her establishment is exempt from the ordinance. Ms. Kempen pointed out the importance of bars serving food as an alternative to drinking, and she believes that percentage should be more like 25%. She pointed out that there is an exemption built in to the ordinance for truck stops and bowling alleys that is not given to restaurants. Peter Sherman, 3213 Ross Road, Ames, gave his recommendations for changes to the compromise ordinance, specifically to: (1) the Whereas paragraph stating that "the designation of smoking areas in...public places has subjected persons to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke"; (2) Section 21 A.101, (3) 21 A.201, (4) 21 A.202, (5) 21 A.203, (6) 21 A.301, (7) 21 A.400, and (8) 21 A.500. He talked about the anticipated increase in costs to bar owners and to the public in enforcing the proposed ordinance. Mr. Sherman stated that he is neither for nor against the ordinance; he merely wants objectivity. Steve Erickson, 1007 Lincoln Way, Ames, spoke in opposition to the proposed ordinance. He feels that the ordinance restricts the rights of persons and business owners. Randy Mayer, 135 N. Russell, Ames, spoke as a proponent of the compromise ordinance. He expressed his appreciation to the City Council for their attempts to improve the health and environment of the citizens of Ames. He hopes that the passage of the ordinance will be unanimous. Mr. Mayer also hopes that the City Council will revisit the ordinance, if in fact it passes, after a period of time to assess how well it has helped to attain the goal of a clean-air environment. Jerry Pierce, 3811 Fletcher Boulevard, Ames, stated that he is a proponent of the ordinance. As a member of "Life After Death of a Spouse" (LADOS), he advised that 90% of LADOS members have lost spouses to cancer, and he can't think of any reason not to attempt to prevent death. Tom Northrop, 1322 Curtiss Avenue, Ames, supports the ordinance since it does not affect bars unless non-alcoholic food sales exceed 10%. As the owner of Welch Avenue,. Station (a bar), he asked that the 10%food exemption be changed to 15%. T m s told the Council of her Melissa Andrews, 2902 White Oak, A e experiences living in Colorado, which is smoke-free. She moved to Ames six months ago, but does not go out to eat in Ames because she finds the smell of smoke to be very offensive. Ms. Andrews asked the City Council to pass the ordinance. Met Szopinski, 4123 Phoenix Street, Ames, said that he feels the ordinance is not necessary. He thinks that if people do not like the smell of smoke, they should go to a restaurant that doesn't allow smoking. Mr. Szopinski also asked that ordinances be written in ordinary English. Ruth Swenson, 2102 Kildee Street, Ames, stated that she supports the compromise ordinance. Andrew Goedeken, 917 Ridgewood Avenue, Ames, thanked the City Council, on behalf of the Mayor's Youth Committee and other young people of Ames, for their willingness to Tom Northrop, 1322 Curtiss,Ave, Ames, supports the ordinance only if the 10% non-alcoholic food sales e would be increased to 15%. This ordinance is suppose to be aimed at restaurants, not bars. (The part of the exemption that may affect the bar in the near future is the part that says this includes food being brought into the bar.) V I �v