Tuesday evening the Bourbon Town Council approved an ordinance on first reading that is designed to prohibit any and all smoking of any kind in all public parks located within the municipal boundaries of Bourbon. The ordinance included penalties for violators.
Last month, Annette Haining the Tobacco Education Coordinator for Marshall County asked the Bourbon Town Council to consider updating its smoking policy making it more detailed, and to include vaping. She told them the Town of Culver has an ordinance prohibiting smoking in its parks and the Plymouth Park Board and Marshall County Park Dept. implemented policies to prohibit smoking.
The Bourbon Town Council decided to put an ordinance in place that allows for penalties for those found violating the ordinance. They want to reduce the exposure of unwanted smoke to children and families and promote increased foot traffic in their public parks.
The ordinance states that it will be unlawful for anyone to utilize any smoking devices within the public parks in Bourbon. This includes but is not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, vape pens, Juul, e-cigarettes, and any other devices which can produce smoke that is inhaled and exhaled. Anyone found violating the ordinance shall be fined $50 for the first violation, $100 for the second violation, and $150 for the third violation.
Tickets will be issued for the violation and the penalties will be paid to the Bourbon Clerk Treasurer within 30 days of the incident. The fines will be kept in the Ordinance Violation Bureau Fund.
The Bourbon Town Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
