Published: July 02, 2008 02:32 pm         

A ban on smoking citywide?

• Wellness Committee discusses future projects

The Stillwater Wellness Committee met Tuesday to discuss possible action on a smoking ban and a strategic wellness plan for the city.

Since April 2007 the committee changed from the Mayor’s Wellness Committee into an autonomous group and was renamed the Stillwater Wellness Committee. They meet monthly to make recommendations to the Stillwater City Council on initiatives for health and wellness.

Regina Hall, the committee’s chair, was absent Tuesday, therefore no action was taken on any issues, except for the approval of the previous meeting’s minutes. The items were discussed, but tabled to the next meeting.

Member Stephanie Brown, a representative from the Stillwater Medical Center, said she thought a possible mapping project of walking routes throughout the city and the organization of family fun walks would be a good way to promote health and wellness. She felt these topics could be added to the strategic plan of the committee.

Brown also said another good way to promote wellness would be targeting a certain demographic group.

“Instead of doing a broad program we could target a specific population and develop programs based on each area of our expertise,” Brown said. “We can collaborate with each of our areas of expertise and kind of develop a multifaceted program for that group instead of one program for a broad group.”

The committee also discussed asking the city attorney’s office to draft an ordinance prohibiting tobacco use in public parks.

Member Robin Purdie, director of the Seretean Wellness Center at Oklahoma State University, said she would make a recommendation that all city property be smoke-free.

“We can do a focus group or have a meeting, but what it all boils down to is it’s happening all over the country,” Purdie said. “There are ordinances out there that we can model it after and I don’t think it hurts for this committee to say we back it. How it’s done is a whole other issue.”

The committee can make recommendations for ordinances and endorsements to the City Council, but the council has the final say.

The wellness committee decided to discuss the issue at the next meeting and also have a meeting with the mayor to start the process of drafting a smoking ban ordinance to go before the council.

The next meeting of the Stillwater Wellness Committee will be on Aug. 5 in City Hall Conference Room B at 4 p.m.

     

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