Clinton bar owners merge efforts to fight smoking ban
Clinton bar owners merge efforts to fight smoking ban
CLINTON, Iowa — At times it resembled a political rally, a revival meeting and a telethon all rolled into one.
But the theme of Thursday’s meeting of bar owners from across Iowa was clear: If they hope to defeat the state smoking ban, bar owners must pool their resources.
The meeting was hosted by the Clinton Organized Bar and Restaurant Association, or COBRA, but drew about 70 bar owners and patrons from as far away as Fairfield, Keokuk and Blairsburg.
COBRA President Jon Van Roekel said the purpose of the meeting was to merge five to seven separate efforts throughout the state into one organization and raise money to hire an attorney and seek an injunction to stop the state from enforcing the new smoking ban, which goes into effect July 1.
The new law bans smoking in Iowa bars, restaurants and most workplaces, with the exception of casino gaming floors and the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Twyla Peacock, owner of Tillie’s Tap in Keosauqua, seemed to sum up the feeling in the room about the Iowa legislature.
“I have said the F-word more the last few weeks than I have in my entire life,” she said to cheers from the room at the Odeon, a Clinton tavern. “They’re going to drive me out of business, and I’m not going to stand for it.”
Van Roekel said COBRA is merging its efforts with those of Brian Froelich, owner of Fro’s Pub and Grub in Wilton, who is organizing a group called the Iowa Bar Owners Coalition, or IBOC
Froelich said by passing the law, the legislature violated the rights of small business owners and put their businesses in jeopardy. He said he already has heard from some of his customers that they plan to build bars in their basements if they are not allowed to smoke in bars.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m a little scared,” he said.
Van Roekel said if every food and liquor-license holder in the state pledged $200 to the effort, IBOC could raise enough money to fight the issue all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. Van Roekel said he wants the issue to go that far so Iowa’s law can be a test case on the issue.
Bar owners took turns at the microphone, criticizing the law and pledging money to the effort in amounts up to $1,000.
Marty Maynes, owner of The Union in Iowa City, said he has contacted several bar owners in Iowa City and Des Moines, and said organization was the key to defeating the law.
“If we all would have banded together like this from the beginning, this law never would have been passed,” Maynes said.
Kat Barrick, co-owner of the Silver Dollar Supper Club in Blairsburg, said she brought with her the names of 27 other bar owners willing to donate money, and said her bar is accepting donations for a “slush fund” to pay the fines of the bar if its patrons are caught smoking.
Nicole Baker, chairwoman of the Clinton County Republican Committee, also attended the meeting to encourage Iowans to vote out the legislators who voted for the bill.
That message was echoed by Les Shields of Clinton, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in 2006 against Rep. Polly Bukta, D-Clinton, who voted in favor of the bill.
Shields said bar owners are smart people who know what is best for their businesses.
“They don’t need government telling them how to run their businesses,” he said.
A meeting for those interested in supporting IBOC’s efforts will be held at 4 p.m. May 4 at the Knights of Columbus hall at 1111 W. 35th St. in Davenport.
Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.
http://www.qctimes.com/
CLINTON, Iowa — At times it resembled a political rally, a revival meeting and a telethon all rolled into one.
But the theme of Thursday’s meeting of bar owners from across Iowa was clear: If they hope to defeat the state smoking ban, bar owners must pool their resources.
The meeting was hosted by the Clinton Organized Bar and Restaurant Association, or COBRA, but drew about 70 bar owners and patrons from as far away as Fairfield, Keokuk and Blairsburg.
COBRA President Jon Van Roekel said the purpose of the meeting was to merge five to seven separate efforts throughout the state into one organization and raise money to hire an attorney and seek an injunction to stop the state from enforcing the new smoking ban, which goes into effect July 1.
The new law bans smoking in Iowa bars, restaurants and most workplaces, with the exception of casino gaming floors and the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Twyla Peacock, owner of Tillie’s Tap in Keosauqua, seemed to sum up the feeling in the room about the Iowa legislature.
“I have said the F-word more the last few weeks than I have in my entire life,” she said to cheers from the room at the Odeon, a Clinton tavern. “They’re going to drive me out of business, and I’m not going to stand for it.”
Van Roekel said COBRA is merging its efforts with those of Brian Froelich, owner of Fro’s Pub and Grub in Wilton, who is organizing a group called the Iowa Bar Owners Coalition, or IBOC
Froelich said by passing the law, the legislature violated the rights of small business owners and put their businesses in jeopardy. He said he already has heard from some of his customers that they plan to build bars in their basements if they are not allowed to smoke in bars.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m a little scared,” he said.
Van Roekel said if every food and liquor-license holder in the state pledged $200 to the effort, IBOC could raise enough money to fight the issue all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. Van Roekel said he wants the issue to go that far so Iowa’s law can be a test case on the issue.
Bar owners took turns at the microphone, criticizing the law and pledging money to the effort in amounts up to $1,000.
Marty Maynes, owner of The Union in Iowa City, said he has contacted several bar owners in Iowa City and Des Moines, and said organization was the key to defeating the law.
“If we all would have banded together like this from the beginning, this law never would have been passed,” Maynes said.
Kat Barrick, co-owner of the Silver Dollar Supper Club in Blairsburg, said she brought with her the names of 27 other bar owners willing to donate money, and said her bar is accepting donations for a “slush fund” to pay the fines of the bar if its patrons are caught smoking.
Nicole Baker, chairwoman of the Clinton County Republican Committee, also attended the meeting to encourage Iowans to vote out the legislators who voted for the bill.
That message was echoed by Les Shields of Clinton, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in 2006 against Rep. Polly Bukta, D-Clinton, who voted in favor of the bill.
Shields said bar owners are smart people who know what is best for their businesses.
“They don’t need government telling them how to run their businesses,” he said.
A meeting for those interested in supporting IBOC’s efforts will be held at 4 p.m. May 4 at the Knights of Columbus hall at 1111 W. 35th St. in Davenport.
Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.
http://www.qctimes.com/
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