GOSNELL -- The Gosnell City Council adopted an ordinance at its regular meeting Tuesday to prohibit the use of tobacco and any tobacco products at the Gosnell City Park.
Gosnell Mayor Dick Reams, after a roll call and approval of last month's meeting minutes, presented the council with the ordinance that would not only stop smoking but the use of smokeless and other tobacco products in the Gosnell City Park.
"In a previous meeting we talked about making the park tobacco-free," Reams said. "There has been an ordinance drafted and looked at by the city attorney that we would like to present to the council tonight."
Ordinance 271 was read in its entirety the first time and stated that adults or minors shall not use any type of tobacco whether smoking or smokeless in the city park. Violators of the ordinance will be ejected from the park and issued a citation of $50 per violation. After hearing the ordinance, the council chose not to discuss it in detail but instead voted unanimously to place the ordinance on second and third readings by title only. After hearing the ordinance three times, the council voted to adopt it.
"Signs are ready to be ordered in the morning (today) and the ordinance will go into effect in 30 days," Reams said.
When asked if the council had anything they wanted to address Councilman Eric Blount suggested the city look into establishing an ordinance that would prohibit people from having interior furniture such as couches and recliners as yard furniture. Reams said the city would look into that issue.
"We started several fundraisers for Pennies for the Park," Councilwoman Melissa Sellers said. "We did a fundraiser at the school about two weeks ago that raised $1,318.37."
Mayor Reams said he has seen several children bring pennies into Gosnell City Hall to donate to the project, which is raising funds for new playground equipment. Sellers and Councilwoman Rhonda Smith announced that the youth of Gosnell Baptist Church will be at Gosnell City Park at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 19, to do painting and cleaning.
Councilman Blount then suggested that outside of the Gosnell Community Center and Gosnell Police Department be painted. Blount said while voting in Tuesday's runoff election at the Gosnell Community Center he noticed the outside of the facility needed some "sprucing up," to match recently painted interior.
"The interior was done with insurance funds the city received," Reams said. "I don't know how much money we have in the Community Center fund but we will look into that."
Blount also asked if there could be a fee change for the City's Farmers Market, which takes place on Saturday mornings. He said the $10 fee is too much for some smaller growers.
"If you sell $10 worth of fresh eggs in a day and have to pay a $10 fee you haven't done very well," Blount said. "Last year we had one large vendor who did most of the market but this year we are seeing a lot of smaller vendors who can't afford the mandatory $10 donation to the cleanup fund."
Reams suggested a one time fee or season pass. That way vendors could make a one-time donation to the cleanup fund to participate in the Farmers Market and would be more encouraged to come back.
"As I recall, when we started this, the council looked to you (Eric) as the one to head this project up," Reams said. "If it is OK with the council, I think it should be up to you to decide if a season pass/one-time donation would work better."
Councilwoman Sellers suggested instead of a $10 donation per vendor per week, they city have a $10 donation to participate all summer.
The full council seemed to be in agreement with her suggestion.
Blount, who along with councilwoman Sellers, accepted a challenge to lose weight earlier in the year, had sponsors matching monetarily what the two lost, and those funds were to be donated to St. Jude. At Tuesday's meeting, Blount announced he had lost 11.8 pounds and Sellers had lost 18 pounds. Reams agreed to match $5 per pound for a total donation to St. Jude Children's Hospital of $150. Councilwoman Tammie Fulks also agreed to match up to $50 for Blount and Sellers. Both Fulks and Reams wrote out their donations and Blount donated $200 as well. The city will be mailing the donations to St. Jude later this week.
"We are in the process of spraying," Tim Nelson of Vector Disease Control told the council as he updated on the city on its mosquito spraying. "The counts are down and we are on top of it. We should be in good shape."
czolman@blythevillecourier.com