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MINUTES <br /> <br /> Eugene City Council <br /> Regular Session <br /> City Council Chamber-City Ha11-777 Pearl Street <br /> <br /> April 8, 2002 <br /> 8p.m. <br /> <br />COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bonny Bettman, David Kelly, Scott Meisner, Gary Rayor, Gary <br /> PapS, Pat Farr, Nancy Nathanson, Betty Taylor. <br /> <br />Mayor James D. Torrey called the regular session of the City Council to order at 8 p.m. <br /> <br />I.CEREMONIAL MATTERS <br /> <br />Chief Tom Tallon reported that the City of Eugene and its Fire and Emergency Medical Services <br />Department were being honored by the State Fire Marshal, who was giving the department a <br />certificate of exemption from the State Fire Code. He said the exemption was being given <br />because of the department's level of expertise in its fire prevention, public education, code <br />enforcement, and fire cause determinations. Chief Tallon said the department consistently met <br />and exceeded the State standards and therefore the State Fire Marshal was offering the <br />exemption. <br /> <br />State Fire Marshal Bob Garrison said the certificate spoke to the excellence of the programs <br />provided by Chief Tallon and the women and men of Eugene Fire and Emergency Medical <br />Services. He said the City was truly fortunate to have the high quality services that the <br />department provided. He presented the certificate to Mayor Torrey. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey said it was the men and women of the department that made the City a secure <br />place. He thanked Eugene's Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department for its excellent <br />work. <br /> <br />II.PUBLIC FORUM <br /> <br />Steven Baldwin, 101 East Broadway, representing Eugene Business Owners, spoke against the <br />smoking ordinance passed by the City Council the previous year. He said the ordinance was <br />passed at the behest of a minority in the City and had proven to be a detriment to owners of bars <br />and taverns in Eugene. He noted that smokers were not being cited for smoking in bars and <br />taverns and owners were being held responsible for patrons' behavior. <br /> <br />Mr. Baldwin said the smoking ordinance was complaint-driven and noted that all of the prosecuted <br />complaints had come from people connected with Tobacco Free Lane County who selectively <br />entered establishments and made complaints to City authorities. He said that bar owners were <br />being fined for behavior that they could not enforce. He suggested holding bar owners blameless <br />unless complaints were filed by their employees. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 8, 2002 Page 1 <br /> Regular Session <br /> <br /> <br />