In fact, commissioners are going to be asked at their next meeting on Monday, Jan. 7 to either ban smoking at the courthouse or at least restrict it to a certain area.

Person County Tax Administrator Russell Jones, Person County Clerk of Court Debbie Barker and attorney Danny Long are slated to address commissioners Jan. 7 with the request.

With the exception of stairwells, where smoking is banned by the Person County Fire Marshall, there currently “is no policy in place” pertaining to smoking in the courthouse, according to Barker.

“Some of the offices don’t allow it,” Barker said. “There is no smoking in our offices.”

Barker and Jones both said they had fielded a number of complaints from employees and others who visit the courthouse on business-related matters.

“The biggest problem for [the tax office] is when a recess is called for in the courtroom upstairs,” said Jones, whose offices are located on the lower level of the facility.

“There is a very little lobby up there and, since there is no smoking in the stairwell, people come down the steps and congregate right outside our office,” Jones noted. “If it is a rainy day, there may be 40 people outside there in the hall and 15 or 20 of them will be smoking.

“It makes for an unsafe situation for our tax customers,” Jones added. “We have had fights break out there in the hallway.”

Barker noted that with the age of the courthouse, “There is no ventilation or exhaust fans” in many of the areas frequented by smokers. >>

“We have got to do something about it,” Barker said. “I know it won’t be a popular thing with a lot of people, but we have got to do something.”

Barker said she has researched courthouses in surrounding counties and found that Person County is the lone one without some type of a smoking ban in place. No smoking is allowed in courthouses in Durham, Rockingham, Granville or Alamance counties, she said. And Barker added that Caswell County restricts smoking to “a designated smoking area.”

Barker observed, “I don’t have a problem with a designated smoking area. But if it is inside it needs to be in a well-ventilated area.”

Barker said Long would be presenting commissioners with a petition signed by persons who are requesting a smoke-free courthouse facility.

In Wake County, all government buildings will go tobacco-free under a new local ordinance beginning Jan. 1.

The Wake County ban affects all buildings owned, leased or occupied by the county, including the courthouse and parking decks. Established smoking areas in county buildings will no longer be available under the ordinance.

The new state aw approved by the General Assembly does not prohibit smoking in buildings used by local governments, but it does allow local governments to regulate smoking within their jurisdiction.

Beginning Jan. 1, a local government may prohibit smoking in the following places:

• Buildings owned by the local government;

• Buildings leased by the local government;

• Areas of buildings leased and occupied by the local government.