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Mayor Torrey called for the "request to speak" forms for the public hearing. He noted that anyone who wished to speak had to have submitted a request to speak form by this point in time of the meeting. He reiterated that there should be no show of support or opposition to anyone's testimony. He outlined the public hearing process. Matthew Walter, 1200 Hilyard Street, commented that smoking was the most preventable cause of death in the United States. He said that there were over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, 43 of which were known carcinogens. He said that secondhand smoke was classified as a "Group A Carcinogen" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He noted that the classification of Group A was the only classification that was proven to cause cancer in humans. Mr. Walter said that secondhand smoke had been passively linked to heart disease. He said that secondhand smoke was the third leading preventable cause of death behind smoking and alcohol use. Tracy Lee, 2480 Devon Avenue, spoke on behalf of Eugene Bingo Mania. She commented that businesses should be required to provide separate areas for smokers and that adults should be able to make the choice of which part of the business to patronize. Larry E. Hale, 2450 Laurelhurst Drive, spoke against the ordinance. He said that smoking was a matter of personal choice and commented that bars would lose business if smoking was not prohibited. He commented that bar owners should be able to post signs for smoking/nonsmoking areas and the City should leave things at that. He added that there were plenty of places for nonsmokers to go that were free of tobacco smoke. Patti Marshall, 2510 Willona Drive, spoke on behalf of Eugene Bingo Mania. She noted that Bingo Mania had a separate area for smokers but that the issue was larger than one of personal choice. Carolyn Laule, 3379 Richard Avenue, spoke as a representative of Willamette Valley Track and Field who received money from Eugene Bingo Mania. She called for an exemption for bars and bingo establishments. She commented that smoking bans harmed bingo for charities, but added that she believed in freedom of choice above all else. Autumn DePoe, 1961 Hilyard Street, remarked that the City had better things to do than waste time with a tobacco ordinance. She commented that nonsmokers had plenty of places to go where they would not have to encounter tobacco smoke. She urged the council not to take the rights away from property owners. Donna Phipps, 2465 Pershing Street, spoke against the ordinance. She stressed her desire to have a right to choose to smoke or not. She said that bar business in the city would be lost since smokers could simply drive to neighboring communities and patronize businesses there. Herb Severson, 4080 Hilyard Street, spoke as a representative of the Oregon Research Institute in support of the ordinance. He reiterated that secondhand smoke was a Class A carcinogen. He said that the ordinance would protect the public and remarked that businesses would not be adversely impacted by a smoking ban. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 11, 2000 Page 4 Regular Meeting