Nov. 13--Blowing smoke and flipping cigarette butts in Morgan County parks will end soon.

The County Commission plans to adopt a resolution in two weeks to ban smoking at its four parks.

Hartselle's council discussed such a prohibition but never followed through. Decatur prohibits smoking at playgrounds and outdoor seating areas. It banned smoking in all public buildings and businesses in August 2007.

The commission held a special work session Thursday to discuss coordinators for parks and ended up with a consensus to do away with smoking at the public facilities.

District 1 Commissioner Jeff Clark said he already forbids smoking inside North Park in his district.

"I have a sign up that prohibits smoking once they enter the inside of the fence at the park and I have a designated area for them to smoke," Clark said.

District 2 Commissioner Ken Livingston said people have complained about tobacco chewing and snuff dipping.

"I've had people complain about the smoking, but then I've had people talk about 'nasty' spitting of tobacco," Livingston said.

Clark said he's never had a complaint about anything other than smoking.

District 3 Commissioner Don Stisher and District 4 Commissioner Greg Abercrombie agreed with the others that chewing tobacco and snuff should not bebanned inside the parks.

Chairman John Glasscock said he would get the county attorney to draft a no-smoking resolution for all parks. The resolution would include designating smoking areas.

In addition to the smoking ban, Stisher brought up an issue about park coordinators. Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Lackey suggested that because Stisher's coordinator has resigned, each commissioner might consider making part-time park employees full-time coordinators.

The move would place park maintenance under Lackey rather than commissioners. In doing so, the county would have to hire a maintenance director to work under Lackey. Other commissioners like the current setup for their respective parks.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," said Clark.

Ultimately, they agreed for Lackey to meet with the human resources director to re-write the job description for a park coordinator, which will include extra duties in the county shop when needed.

The part-time employee at South Park would have to apply for the coordinator job because it has to be advertised in accordance with county policy.

The commission plans to vote on a resolution to change the job description at its Nov. 24 meeting.

Lackey will be in charge of preparing schedules for coordinators.

In addition, the commission plans to make changes in paying game officials for the parks.

Currently, commissioners said communities use the parks for baseball and softball games, but do not pay officiating costs.

Lackey presented a list to the commission which states that the county will no longer reimburse communities for officiating costs. The list also states that rental fees will be $124 per field with lights costing $25 per hour.

Commissioners told Lackey to tweak the list and have it ready for a vote at the next meeting.

To see more of The Decatur Daily, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.decaturdaily.com

Copyright (c) 2009, The Decatur Daily, Ala.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.