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MINUTES April 5, 2001 2 BOARD OF HEALTH Barnstable have. It's on the town warrant as a result of the citizens and it can't be passed unless the citizens pass it." Mr. Dino Mitrokostas, Mashpee resident, voter and owner of Finally Dino's Pizza and Sports Bar stated that he was spokesperson for Mashpee restaurant owners 7 years ago when the current regulation was being drafted. He feels that there has not been a problem with the smoking regulation during the time that it has been in effect. The restaurant owners feel that they are doing well and that "if it isn't broken, don't fix it." Mr. Philip Pomery, Mashpee resident and non-smoker stated that he and his wife enjoy eating at bars in restaurants and that he doesn't like smoke in his face while he's eating. He wants to stay healthy and said that ventilation systems are okay, but not enough. He further stated that he wants to see a change in the regulation. It is Mr. Pomeroy's opinion that smokers from other towns now come to Mashpee since some of the other Cape towns have smoking bans in place. Ms. Diane O'Rourke, Mashpee resident and non-smoker made the following statement, "I sat on a Board of Health for a number of years and I was chairman for most of those years. I am a non-smoker. I have great respect for the office that you hold and understand the endless hours involved in performing your duties. I keep track of the Board of Health only because I was a member and I have seen nothing but respectability in your decisions and in everything that you do. You seem to act in the best interest of the town. I understand the amount of work involved in adopting regulations and it takes long, hard time with much research and draft upon draft until they are fine tuned and finally adopted. Up until the appearance of this organization, the regulations in question served our purposes. I fear the setting of precedence in allowing an outside faction to usurp the power of a long-standing existing Board of the town rendering their decisions and regulations null and void. I have seen similar organizations undermine the autonomy of a town and their boards in the past. Beware. The outside faction is coming into Mashpee and deciding what Mashpee will do in this instance regardless of what is in place and working. This is America and we have choices. We have made our choice in the existing regulations. Please, don't let them take your choice as a Board away. The people are satisfied with the regulations in place and the voters need to remember that when they vote for or against this, they are voting for far more than they think. They are either voting their free choice away or they are voting to keep Mashpee governed by their duly elected officials whom we have entrusted to act in our best interest. If this passes, other special interest groups may come and do the same and what board will be next? As former chairman of a Board of Health, I urge the Board to unanimously vote no on this article to prevent the inherent loss of self-governing which we all hold so dear. Voters, I implore you to vote no on this article at town meeting out of respect for your Board of Health with confidence in their ability as elected officials to continue to do what is right for us in Mashpee. Thank you." Mr. Santos asked Ms. O'Rourke what her feeling was towards employees working in smoking establishments and their risk of cancer. Ms. O'Rourke responded that she feels it's a person's choice as to whether they enter the establishment or not. She is an advocate of the choice involved.