News

May 7, 2008

Smoke-free parks councilman’s aim

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Councilman Bill Barrett wants smokers to get their butts out of city playgrounds.

Barrett told council at Tuesday’s work session that a friend called to complain about people smoking at Kirby Park in the playground area and throwing their discarded cigarettes on the ground.

“It’s a health concern,” Barrett said. “We all know the dangers of secondhand smoke. Kids don’t need to be exposed to that.”

Barrett said he was contacted by Melissa Rehrig of the Luzerne County chapter of Steps to a Healthier PA/USA -- an initiative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that advances the goal of helping Americans live longer, better and healthier lives. Barrett said Rehrig would attend a council meeting to discuss the idea.

Other Luzerne County towns have adopted ordinances banning smoking in public parks and recreational facilities. Barrett said Wilkes-Barre should follow suit.

Barrett said Rehrig’s organization would provide signage at city parks. The group claims that cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world.

Council said it will consider the proposal at its Thursday meeting.

In other business on Thursday, council will:

• Consider a resolution to award a contract to G.C. Wall Inc., for $364,200, for demolition work connected with the $27 million Intermodal Transportation Center project.

• Increase the contract with L.A.G. Wrecking Inc. for asbestos removal at the Murray Complex fire site. The original amount for asbestos removal was $50,000, but Marie McCormick, assistant city administrator, said the contract needs to be increased by $53,000 to $103,000. She said that because the building was unsafe to enter, an accurate assessment of the amount of asbestos in the building was impossible to obtain.

• File an application for funding from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for $500,000 for the loft apartment project on Northampton Street. Richard Meussig of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Development Corp., said the money will be used to construct the apartments.

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