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separate smoking area for his business. He submitted a petition of 1,500 of his customers who were against the ordinance and commented that people wanted the city to "remain free." Angela Irzyk, 1283 West 4th Avenue, commented that she had moved to Eugene to find intelligent people. She urged the council to not take choices away from the public and commented that it was absurd to think that tobacco could be kept away from children by forcing people to smoke at home. Spencer Whittel, 3431 Timberline Drive, spoke as a local bar owner. He commented that bars would eventually ban smoking on their own, but advocated for the idea of putting the matter to a public vote. He added that surrounding communities would not enact the same ordinances at the same time so Eugene business would just go outside the city to smoke at bars. He suggested legislation at the state or county level. Alan J. Ezelle, 3033 Gateway Loop, commented that the issue was one of personal accountability. He related how his military career had let him see countries with very little personal freedom and urged the council not to take away citizen's freedom of choice. He opined that the whole issue was preposterous and should be dismissed. Ron Willis, 1775 Ridgley Road, related an experience where he had witnessed a clerk accidently selling tobacco to a minor. He remarked that someone's livelihood should not be taken away because of being duped by a minor. He urged the council to adopt the OLCC Responsible Vendor Program. Gary Straube, representing Bari-Mart Stores, said that clerks sometimes made mistakes no matter how well-trained they were in how to refuse a sale. He urged the council to use the OLCC Responsible Vendor Program. Bill Lindon, 867 Liberty Street NE, Salem, spoke as a representative of Seven-11 stores. He submitted written material to the council. He said that Seven-11 had instituted a training program for all of its clerks on how to handle refusal of sales to minors. He opined that the licensing of stores to sell tobacco would not do a thing to stop teen smoking and raised concern that enforcement of the proposed ordinance was too expensive. He remarked that the ordinance, as written, was flawed and suggested using the OLCC Responsible Vendor Program as more of an example. Dorothy E. Sistrom, 3386 Loma Linda Drive, related how she had promised her husband, dying of lung cancer, to do as much as she could to help others quit smoking. She spoke against putting the ordinance to a public vote because she said that out-of-state tobacco money and local bars would collaborate to get the ordinance voted down. She commented that smokers had been duped into addiction by tobacco companies and that the cost of the medical expenses for all of the addicts would rest on society. David Sonnichsen, 2435 Skyline Boulevard, commended the council for considering the ordinance. He said that he viewed the ordinance as a manifestation of human progress. He urged the council not to weaken the language of the ordinance and commented that exemptions would be a logistical nightmare. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 11, 2000 Page 10 Regular Meeting