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Village Council votes down tobacco initiative



LAKEMORE — An initiative addressing the trend of vaping and use of other tobacco products among youth in Summit County is not being enacted in Lakemore Village — going against a request made by Springfield Local Schools to put the safeguard in place in the community.
While all of Council agreed health risks do accompany tobacco use, specifically for young people, several Council members said it was not up to them to govern over the freedom one has to choose what he or she would like to purchase in the village.
“I don’t want to restrict people’s rights, and this restricts peoples’ rights,” Councilman Tracy Douglas said of the initiative.
In a 4-2 vote at the May 6 meeting, Council failed to pass Tobacco 21 (T21) legislation, which first came to Lakemore at the recommendation of Summit County Public Health (SCPH). The T21 initiative is working to make it illegal for retailers throughout the county to sell all tobacco-related items to people under age 21.
Douglas, Council President Richard Cole and Council members Laura Cochran and Sam Ray voted against T21, while Council members Anne Snyder and Chad Lance supported the legislation, as did Mayor Rick Justice.
Some Council members stated the matter is a statewide issue and does not belong at the local level and questioned if T21 should be placed on a future ballot instead of voted on by Council.
“We can have all the arguments, but it breaks down to the kids — the children of our community,” Justice said before the vote was taken. “The school district has been in here asking that we pass this for their kids’ sake. Statistics clearly show this does improve health and keeps vape equipment and tobacco out of reach of younger children getting it from those who are 18 to 21.”
In March, Council began to consider passing the T21 ordinance. If approved, it would have raised the minimum age to purchase cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 in the village and held retailers responsible for not complying with the measure.
Council took time during the past two months to consider input made by the public, health and school officials and local business owners on the matter, tabling T21 in April to further contemplate the initiative.
Last month, Danielle Starkey, assistant principal at Springfield High School and Junior High, told Council that changing the legal age to purchase tobacco products in Lakemore could aid in combating what she called a “crisis” situation in the community.
She asked Council to pass T21 to help combat the “health epidemic” sweeping through the district.
SCPH Commissioner Donna Skoda told Council in April a person’s brain still is developing at 21 and using a tobacco product at a young age “makes permanent changes.”
“If we get kids to never smoke before 21, chances are they won’t smoke ever,” Skoda has said.
At the May 6 meeting, SCPH Director of Population Health Cory Kendrick said studies show T21 legislation is working in other communities around the United States to deter nicotine addiction in youth.
“The evidence is so strong this works and makes a difference,” he said. “This stops new smokers from ever starting.”
Kendrick said the initiative continues to be put in place around the county, state and the country, with Walgreens and Rite Aid drugstores recently raising the tobacco buying age to 21 and older at all their locations throughout the U.S.
To date, T21 currently is in place in the nine townships in the county; the cities of Green, Akron, Norton, Tallmadg and Twinsburg; and the villages of Mogadore and Richfield, he said.
The cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Barberton, Stow and Hudson have voted against enacting the initiative.
Snyder said she personally struggled with tobacco use and doesn’t want to see more and more young people battle to quit the same habit.
Losing her own father as a result of tobacco use was a difficult time in her life, she added.
Council again was asked by Pit Stop Market owner Amin Abraham and his family to vote down the measure.
Abraham said he would support raising the tobacco purchasing age to 21 in all of Ohio, but having the initiative in place in some parts of the county and not in others is unfair to business owners.
“This is a rule with no teeth,” he told Council. “All areas should be treated equally. Positive change begins at home and in the schools.”
Ray expressed appreciation for “the input” given on T21.
“This is a very hot topic issue,” he said. “Neither side of the issue falls on deaf ears. I thank everyone for all the time, effort and passion put into this.
“I do want to see it eliminated all together and would like to see it on the ballot,” continued Ray. “For here, though, I don’t want to see six people govern this.”
Cole said he would have liked to table the matter for longer to allow time for the state to decide on T21 and to consider an exemption for military members.
Also at the meeting, Council:
• approved the proposal from Hammontree & Associates for drainage and roadway improvements for Ackers Avenue and two areas of Sanitarium Road for Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) funding;
• heard the second reading of legislation to apply for funding from the OPWC for drainage, roadway and waterline infrastructure improvements for areas located on Ackers Avenue and Sanitarium Road between Lakeside Drive and Sanitarium Road; and at Ackers Avenue and Flickinger Road; and Pawnee Boulevard and Seneca Avenue;
• passed legislation to enter into the Pass Through Grant Agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in the amount of $50,000 for a Capital Improvement Community Park, Recreation/Conservation Project to fund the Hinton/Humiston Fitness Park;
• heard the second reading of a resolution authorizing a proposal from Game Time for the purchase and installation of fitness and playground equipment, a wheelchair accessible ramp, border and compacted base for the Hinton/Humiston Fitness Park;
• approved hiring Baron Derita and Seth Strutzbach as part-time members of the Lakemore Fire Department;
• heard the first reading of legislation accepting the proposal from Hammontree & Associates for professional surveying and engineering services for a waterline replacement project for Martha Avenue at a cost of $17,594 to likely be reimbursed through Summit County Community Development Block Grant funding; and
• adopted legislation approving a petition for special assessments for special energy improvement projects and a plan for public improvements. The ordinance states the legislation approves the necessity of acquiring, constructing and improving certain public improvements in the village in cooperation with the Akron-Summit County Energy Special Improvement District.
In other community news, Lance announced the new recycling initiative in the village has begun so residents now can expect their recycling to be picked up every other week.
Also, Cochran announced the Lakemore Fire Department will hold its annual pancake breakfast on Memorial Day, May 27, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with donations being accepted. She said the annual Memorial Day parade will follow, stepping off at 1 p.m. from the Lakemore Plaza.
Council additionally held a moment of silence to honor village resident Janet Morris, who recently died at age 98. Cochran said she was a longtime Lakemore resident and taught 30 years at the former Lakemore Elementary School.
The next Council workshops will be May 15 and 28 at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 1400 Main St. The next regular Council meetings will be May 20 and June 3 at 7 p.m. at the same location.