NORWAY — Town Manager Dennis Lajoie told the Board of Selectmen on Thursday evening that he and Recreation Director Deb Partridge combined two smoking policies into one document to help the town qualify for grants.
The policy prohibiting smoking on town-controlled properties takes effect immediately.
Lajoie said that two weeks ago, Healthy Oxford Hills called town officials to advise that if the town took its tobacco and smoking policies approved in 2010 and made some minor changes to it, “we would be eligible for some signage, if we needed it.”
Lajoie said he and Partridge realized the town had a smoking policy for town staff and one for the Recreation Department.
“We figured that it would make sense to put all of the information in one document, so we worked together to craft it,” Lajoie said.
Partridge said the new policy was “a little more specific” in what tobacco products are prohibited at the workplace.
The new policy states that the term “smoking” listed in the document “shall include the inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying of any lighted cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette, electronic nicotine device, smokeless forms of tobacco, or other tobacco products.”
The policy also prohibits employees, elected and appointed officials, contractors and members of the public from smoking in town-controlled buildings and facilities, including the Norway Town Office, the Norway Fire Station, the highway garage, the Norway Wastewater Plant, Lake Pennesseewassee Park, the Little Red School House, the Lovejoy Farm Sports Complex, and the Cottage Street Recreation Facility.
Selectman Thomas Curtis suggested that the town add “pipes” to the list of prohibited smoking devices.
“It wouldn’t hurt to include it, in case an attorney looks at it and points out that it’s not there,” he said.
Lajoie said an employee with Healthy Oxford Hills looked at the new policy and said that it would qualify the town for tobacco-free signs, if they wanted to pursue it.
