5.2. ERMUSR 01-09-2007 .1*-
Elk River
Municipal Utilities
13069 Orono Parkway phone:763.441.2020
Elk River,MN 55330
Fax:763.441.8099
January 2, 2007
To: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission
Jerry Takle
John Dietz
Jim Tralle
From: Bryan Adams
Subject: Tobacco Cessation Policy
At our December 12, 2006 Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission meeting, Tobacco
Cessation and a utility tobacco policy was discussed. The commission directed staff to draft a
tobacco policy similar to the City of Elk River.
Our current policy is No Smoking in utilities building. Smoking is allowed in utility vehicles
unless an employee objects. Chewing tobacco is not directly addressed, but employees do use
good judgment and do not offend anybody. To date, the existing policy has worked well.
The proposed policy is as follows and is more in line with the City policy:
SMOKE & TOBACCO FREE POLICY
In an effort to provide a healthy, comfortable and productive working environment for
Utility employees, the Elk River Municipal Utilities provides a non-smoking/non-
tobacco work environment. All Utility facilities, including vehicles, shall be smoke and
tobacco free.
Employees violating the above policy may be subject to disciplinary action.
In the process of discussing this proposed policy with our operation people, who it mostly
affects, they brought up the following points:
1) The policy we currently have works well, why change it?
2) Because the City has a perceived problem, why should it translate to our problem?
3) Where will these restrictive personnel issue policies stop? For instance, if a person
is carrying extra weight(poking fun at yours truly)will we restrict now and when
they eat?
4) Will employees be allowed smoke or chew breaks? Will they be allowed to smoke
or chew in the field while working?
On the other side
1) Smoking creates environmental issues for other people. Second hand smoke
inhalation causes health risks for near by people. Health problems caused by
smoking creates financial costs which we all pay for in higher insurance costs.
2) Chewing may have no outward environmental impacts but will ultimately cause
gum cancer. We again all pay for this through higher insurance costs.
3) It is becoming more common for institutions to declare themselves smoke &
tobacco free.
This is an interesting conflict of values, personal rights vs. who pays for the results of personal
choices.
What bothers many employees is the command and control mentality of telling people what
they can and can not do instead of treating them as adults.
As a possible compromise, keep the existing policy until a problem arises, then adopt the
proposed policy. By having this discussion, it will set employees on notice.