After hearing complaints of bar owners and patrons who are finding the city’s less than year old smoking ban ordinance to be restrictive and harmful to their businesses, the Sedalia, Mo. City Council will take a look at amending it at their next meeting on March 3.
On one side of the argument, the Sedalia Clean Air Committee says that since the ordinance went into effect in September 2013, the city’s air quality has improved markedly. On the other side are business owners like Jeff Holloway, who according to the Sedalia Democrat, passed out informational sheets showing his finances and telling the council that he is placing smaller liquor orders and has had to lay off four members of his staff.
Currently, the ban has an exemption for private clubs, and several proposals are being considered to amend the ban, including removing that exemption or possibly excluding five small bars that serve no food, though that exemption would not be transferable nor would it apply to new businesses that open.