LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
The Lake St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and public places Monday night. It is the first city in St. Charles County to institute such a ban, and the decision revived a heated debate over whether such policies should be instituted at the state or local level. "It'll definitely take away from our business," said Barb Giganti, the general manager of Donatelli's Bistro, one of the only restaurants in Lake St. Louis currently allowing smoking inside.Giganti is not a smoker and does not even like the smell of cigarettes, but believes she has a right to allow smoking in her establishment. She has a vision of what will happen once the smoking ban goes into effect, which will likely be in about six months.
"We are within a mile or two of Wentzville, O'Fallon, and Dardenne Prairie. None of those cities have bans. Smokers will drive past us to go to a place that will allow them to smoke," she said.
She would support a countywide or better yet a statewide ban, she said, because she believes that puts all establishments on a level playing field.
The Lake St. Louis Board of Aldermen passed the ban in a 4 to 2 vote, with the sponsor saying he hopes it does ignite a fire that leads all of St. Charles County, then all of Missouri going smoke free. There was some discussion of putting the issue up for a vote or asking citizens to fill out an informal questionnaire to gauge the public's interest in a ban. Some members of the board agreed with Giganti, that a ban at the municipal level is not appropriate.
Alderman John Pellerito was the sponsor. "I worry a little for them at the outset," he said of businesses like Donatelli's Bistro. "They probably will lose a little money for a couple months, but after that I think all the people who didn't go to their establishments because of smoking will start going."
Some restaurants in Lake St. Louis already ban smoking, like BC's Kitchen.
"When we tell customers that the whole place is non-smoking they're completely excited," said manager Kitty Harrison, "Maybe there's been one disgruntled guest I've noticed since we opened, but they ate here anyway."
