holmen restaurants going smoke-free

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Jun 14, 2002 | by Erikson, Randy

HOLMEN, Wis. - Thursday night the Holmen Village Board approved a smokefree dining ordinance, becoming the third La Crosse County community to take the step.

When the issue surfaced a couple months ago, Village President John Chapman came across as an opponent of such ordinances, but Chapman joined the rest of the board in a unanimous vote for the ordinance.

"I guess I'd have a hard time voting for this ordinance if you didn't factor children into the equation," Chapman said.

Children don't have the same ability to choose a smoke-free environment as adults do, Chapman said.

Holmen only has three restaurants that allow smoking, and one of them only allows smoking until 4 p.m.

The ordinance, which requires restaurants to post signs and make reasonable efforts to prevent smoking, goes into effect Oct. 1.

Violations of the ordinance will cost a restaurant owner $10 to $50 plus courtimposed costs. A customer could be fined $50 to $100 plus costs, with fines doubling for a second violation within a year.

La Crosse and Onalaska have passed smoke-free dining ordinances, and Holmen's is modeled on those.