The Sedalia, Mo. City Council decided not to amend their current smoking ban ordinance on Monday, which would have provided relief for five bars that do not serve food and allowed them to put their ashtrays out once again.
The eight-member council came to a 4-4 tie when a vote was called, with Mayor Elaine Horn breaking the tie with a vote against the change, telling SedaliaDemocrat.com that she had grown tired of hearing from businesses complaining that the ban was affecting their revenue but not providing any evidence to support those claims.
The vote appeared to come down to a decision whether to side with business and freedom of choice or with overall public health and enforcing the smoking ban. Other council members wanted to maintain consistency from the council and keep a level playing field for businesses going forward.
With the amendment failing to pass, smoking remains prohibited in all bars and restaurants, with the exemption for private clubs remaining intact.