Smoking ban planned for parks

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. » It could soon be illegal to smoke in county parks.

The Madison County Board of Supervisors took the first step in revising its existing tobacco ban at its meeting Tuesday. An amendment to the county’s ban has been proposed and a public hearing scheduled for the board’s next meeting.

The current ban was first implemented in 2012 and prohibits smoking on any county property. The original legislation made an exemption for county parks, allowing residents to smoke in parks so long as they weren’t under a pavilion. The amendment would remove that exemption and make smoking illegal everywhere on county property. The amend--

ment also adds and clarifies theuseof tobaccotoinclude e-cigarettes, vaporizers and chewing tobacco.

The only exceptions to the smoking ban will be residents driving their own vehicles entering or exiting property owned or leased by the county, on roads and rights-of-ways owned and maintained by the county and county correctional employees in a specified location and at specified times.

County Administrator Mark Scimone is hopeful the amendment will be in effect before the opening of the newly-purchased Delphi Falls sothe park canbe properly posted and advertised as a no-smoking area. Despite being in effect for the last six years and ample signage, Scimone says some people still are unaware of the smoking ban and looked forward to including that inDelphi Falls’ promotions.

Anyone violating the local law could be punished by a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

The public hearing is scheduled for July 10 at 2:15 p.m.