Modification of Smoking Ban Foreseen : Ordinance: Two new City Council members oppose the measure; a staunch supporter was defeated in April 14 election.

Bellflower’s ban on smoking in public places appears headed for modification just two weeks after voters elected two new City Council members who oppose the no-smoking ordinance.

A staunch supporter of the ordinance, which is the strictest in Southern California, was defeated in the April 14 contest.

Newly elected Councilwoman Ruth Gilson, who has termed the ban on smoking in restaurants and buildings with public access a “loss of rights,” has placed the ordinance on the Monday council agenda. She said she favors a division of areas into 80% nonsmoking and 20% smoking but wants to listen to opinions of residents and business owners.

Elected with Gilson was Ken Cleveland, a former councilman who campaigned for splitting businesses and public areas into nonsmoking and smoking.

“This is what will happen, probably an 80-20 split,” he said.

During the campaign, he said the ban deprives business owners of choice and makes Bellflower restaurants less competitive with those in other cities where smoking is permitted.

Randy Bomgaars, who supported the no-smoking ordinance as a health measure, was defeated in a bid for reelection to the council, as was Joseph E. Cvetko. Cvetko and Mayor John Ansdell initially voted for the ban in January, 1991, but later advocated a change to allow for smoking and nonsmoking areas.

“I knew it would change if the council makeup changed,” said Councilman Bob Stone, who was the catalyst for the ordinance. Calling smoking bans “not a matter of rights but a matter of public health,” Stone said repeal or modification of the ordinance would be a step backward for “a little teeny city in the middle of this large metropolitan area” that took a stand.

From the start, the smoking ban was criticized by some restaurant owners as a death knell for their businesses. But sales tax figures released by Bellflower in November showed that restaurants as a whole performed slightly better during April through June, 1991, than during the same period the previous year. The no-smoking ordinance took effect in March, 1991.

Although Gilson advocated repeal of the ordinance during her campaign, she said she was persuaded by restaurant owners that they can live with smoking and nonsmoking areas.

“Those that don’t want to have smoking don’t have to have it. They can stay smoke-free,” she said.

The city was notified last month that it will receive a $50,000 grant on May 1 from the state Department of Health Services to conduct a marketing campaign promoting Bellflower as a smoke-free city.

Carol Motylewski, Los Angeles-area consultant for the department, said a change in the ordinance would not jeopardize the grant. “We have funded cities that do not have a 100% ban. It is something they’re trying to work toward,” she said.

Gilson said she would like to see the money used to promote businesses that remain smoke-free.

Any changes in the ordinance will go before the council for a public hearing and a preliminary vote May 11.