Selectmen Fired Up Over Smoking Regs

In a discussion that grew heated at times, selectmen raised questions tonight about recently approved Board of Health smoking regulations that prohibit smoking in public places in town.

The two boards discussed the definition of a public place and whether that means that people cannot smoke while walking on town streets.

Radio host Michael Graham of WTTK-FM took exception to Grafton’s regulations on his radio show earlier this year. Graham, who is described on the station Web site as “Boston’s maestro of conservative controversies,’’ said the regulations were too stringent.

Several selectmen noted that the radio show was the first time they had heard about these regulations.

Board of Health member Deborah Chouinard said the board has been working on the regulations for more than a year. The issue has been listed on virtually every agenda, she said, and notes from these meetings were publically available.

Chouinard said these regulations were based on a template provided by the state. The only wording changes, she said, were the insertion of specific Grafton locations, such as the Common and the Superpark.

The regulations were reviewed by town counsel, she said. Board of Health members said they would seek more details on the exact definition of public places.

Selectman chairman Peter Adams said the regulations are an example of “government closing in on people. More rights are being taken away.’’

He asked rhetorically if the next step would be to prohibit wood stoves because they cause smoke to escape from chimneys.

Board of Health member Richard J. Kirejczyk said the goal was not to penalize people but to protect the health of town residents.

Chouinard said “we shouldn’t be making it easier for people to smoke.’’

She said the board had received complaints about people smoking at Fourth of July concerts and other town events. “We take these things seriously,’’ she said.

Selectman John Carlson also questioned why the Board of Health had not reached out to selectmen to inform them of the newly enacted regulations.

“This is what builds animosity,’’ he said. He said that when the issue became the subject of the radio talk show, he hadn’t heard about it .

The Board of Health should not “keep us in the dark,’’ he said. They should use “a little bit of common courtesy’’ in communicating with selectmen, he said.

Selectman Brook Padgett said the selectmen also have a responsibility to keep informed of town issues.