Cigarette break

Some restaurant and bar owners across the area breathed a little easier last Thursday, but it wasn’t from a lack of smoky surroundings.

It was because the smoking-ban bill that the proprietors contended would snuff out business was put on hold.

Once members began to vote, City Council decided to postpone ruling on the legislation that would prohibit smoking in most public places across the city.

The bill’s sponsor, Fourth District Councilman Michael Nutter, called the vote to a halt, fearing a split decision from Council members that would have defeated the measure. Votes from three members were recorded before Nutter thwarted the remaining roll call.

South Philly’s three representatives – Council President Anna Verna and Councilmen Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney – would have been among the "nays."

Nine votes are required to pass the bill. While eight Council members were committed to the bill last Thursday, Fifth District Councilman Darrell Clarke and Eighth District Councilwoman Donna Miller remained on the fence until the end, but were leaning against the legislation.

Initially a supporter of the ban and the bill’s cosponsor, Verna announced a change of heart last week.

She called the legislation "too broad" and did not agree with the bill’s exceptions, including smoking in cigar parlors.

"If we’re so concerned about the health of the workers, don’t they also have cocktail waiters and waitresses in cigar parlors?" she posed.

The bill, which prohibits smoking 15 feet from a building designated as nonsmoking, also stands to eliminate outdoor caf�s, opponents in Council said.

Kenney said the bill should include more "carve outs" that exempt certain establishments, including corner bars.

"When you have a small saloon with 15 stools and 60 to 65 percent of your business is from alcohol, I think smoking should be allowed in there," he said.

DiCicco also has suggested a few amendments to the bill, including an exemption for outdoor bars and small bars and for local taverns that garner 60 percent or more of their business in alcohol sales.

"The councilman will continue his discussions with Nutter," said Brian Abernathy, legislative assistant for DiCicco. "He thinks it’s the right time for something to happen. He doesn’t think this is the right bill for it."

Last week, Nutter said he would consider his colleague’s proposed amendments before possibly reintroducing the bill within a few weeks.

Library lovers read riot act

Local library supporters are refusing to accept the Street administration’s reductions in staff and hours at 20 branches citywide.

And for three hours last week, nearly 200 determined activists came out in droves to vocalize their concerns to City Council and library officials.

The Street administration continues to eliminate morning hours from the "express" branches, leaving them open from 1-5 p.m. week days and Saturdays.

Staff changes already have begun, with full-time nonprofessional supervisors replacing librarians who hold master of library science degrees.

Local facilities that have adopted the part-time schedule are the Charles Santore (formerly Southwark) Library, 932 S. Seventh St., and the Queen Memorial Library, 1201 S. 23rd St.

The Fumo Branch, 2437 S. Broad St., is awaiting its shift to half-day service.

Tony Greco, president of the South Philadelphia Communities Civic Association and a staunch supporter of the Fumo Branch, attended the hearings.

"I think Council made some good points, but I don’t think the libraries are going to change anything," he said. "I think the administration dictates what they want done and I think that’s what they’re going to do."

At the hearing, representatives from the Free Library of Philadelphia maintained that the cuts were necessary as the city continues to deal with monetary setbacks.

Council members, who already freed $1 million for library funding this fiscal year, said they would seek additional avenues to help restore the facilities’ budget.

Testifying before Council, Mike Walsh, president of Local 2186 of the American Federation of State and Municipal Employees, suggested redirecting the library fines normally sent to the Free Library Foundation.

The system also could free up money by holding off on both purchasing new materials and hiring temporary workers, he added.

"They’re spending $1.3 million for seasonal and temporary hires while getting rid of full-time employees," said Walsh. "I think that’s a mistake."

Walsh noted that his union had requested an injunction hearing for this week.

Meanwhile, library proponents were heartened by the community support.

"I thought the number of library supporters who attended was overwhelming and I thought the Council people who were present were attentive," said Amy Dougherty, executive director for the Friends of the Free Library. "We’re going to keep writing letters asking for the restoration of funding so that all branches have full-day, six-day-per-week service, staffed by accredited librarians."

Disciplinary school a no-go

Concerned residents swiftly quashed a company’s plans to operate an alternative education program inside a building that houses a daycare.

Innovative Educational Programs, which provides alternative schooling for students who have been removed from the fifth through 12th grades in public schools, applied for zoning permits at the Brightside Academy building, 2601 McKean St.

Phone calls and petitions immediately flooded Council President Anna Verna’s office. Noting the building’s proximity to local public schools, including Edwin H. Vare Middle School, 24th Street and Snyder Avenue, and Prep Charter High, 1624 S. 26th St., she joined the residents’ opposition.

"I called [Schools CEO] Paul Vallas, and after I told him that this made no logic, we did concur that this location was unacceptable," Verna said.

James Simonic, president of IEP, said he withdrew the zoning application due to the community uproar.

"The truth of the matter is that if the citizens are concerned, we don’t want to impose ourselves on them," he said. "It certainly is a much-needed facility, but if that’s not the right place, we’ll seek other locations."

Simonic did not yet know whether his company would consider other sites in South Philly.

Fire cuts still hot topic

The controversial plans to realign some of the city’s fire stations got another airing at a budget hearing last week.

Last summer, Mayor Street and then-Fire Commissioner Harold Hairston announced eight fire-company closures, including Engine 1, Broad and Fitzwater streets, and Ladder 11, 12th and Reed streets.

"The commissioner said that without the budget cuts, he would have not proposed these closures," said Brian Abernathy, legislative assistant to Councilman Frank DiCicco.

At last week’s hearing, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers noted that Philadelphia is above the national standard in response time, but below the national standard for response time in emergency medical services.

DiCicco and local firefighters testified against the fire-company closures in court last fall and expect an arbitrator’s decision within the next month.

Gunning down violence

Two Council members fed up with the recent rash of gun homicides recently took a stand on the issue.

City Council unanimously passed a bill and resolution aimed at reducing citywide gun violence. Fifth District Councilman Darrell Clarke and Eighth District Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller authored the legislation in response to 22 homicides within an 11-day period in Philadelphia.

The ordinance, which awaits the mayor’s approval, calls for a referendum on the May 17 primary ballot on whether state lawmakers should permit the city to enact legislation aimed at preventing and reducing gun violence.