Smoking Peition Short on Signatures

Group doesn't get enough valid signatures to get it on a ballot

Posted on Tue Nov 13, 2007

Since the smoking ban in bars and restaurants went into effect early this year, a group of business owners have been putting together a petition that would give residents a chance to vote on the ordinance.

They needed more than 2500 signatures and now ABC 17 learned that almost half were not valid registered voters in the city.

Joel Thiel, owner of Otto's Corner Bar & Grill in Columbia, has seen his bar business fizzle since the ban went into effect.

He, along with the owner of Tiger Club, collected the signatures.

He thinks the people should have the right to decide this issue.

"I think the mayor and the city council should see that it should go to a public vote.  They should have seen that back then and they should see that now," says Thiel.

According to the city charter, the group has the option to collect the remaining needed signatures by Monday.

Thiel says they don't plan to do that.

Now they can take the issue in front of the council themselves who will decide if it should go to a public vote, which Thiel is planning to do.

When the city council voted on this issue last year, three members voted against the ban.

Two of the three, Almeeta Crayton and Laura Nauser, still hold a seat.

If the petition does get approved, the issue could be on the April ballot.