Business owners speak out on Surfside smoking ban

At Tuesday night’s Surfside Beach town council meeting, council members voted six to one in favor of a revised version of the smoking ban ordinance after the state supreme court said a previous ban was unconstitutional.
 
The revised ordinance makes smoking in a public building, business, and some outdoor areas, including the beach, a civil infraction.  That means if you’re in violation, you will have to pay a fine, no less than $10 and no more than $25.

Mayor Allen Deaton voted against the ordinance.  “I just feel that it should be a state issue, that the state law’s adequate if the legislature would stand behind a more restrict policy I would support that, but I think patchwork enforcement is very difficult.“ Deaton said.

Mayor Pro-tem Sammy Truett said the smoking ban will be enforced just like any other law.

“When we have a violator and there’s a complaint, we will call in we will go to a bar or restaurant and investigate the offense, just like speeding or any other violation in town.“ Truett said.

Pam Stapleton, owner of Neal and Pams Bar and Grill, said she was hoping business owners and council members could work out a compromise.

“I’m a non-smoker myself, I don’t like smoke, I never have smoked, but to me that’s not the issue, the issue is whether someone else can tell you what you have to do, when you own your own business and you’re paying taxes and you’re trying to survive and seven people can say no sorry, you can’t do that.“ Stapleton said.

Town administrator Ed Booth will designate an infraction officer, or judge, that will determine the cost of the fine.

Truett said he expects most business owners to follow the ordinance, but for the few that may thumb their noses at council’s decision, if they’re habitual offenders, Truett said they could have their business licenses revoked.