City officials hope the ordinance will reduce cigarette butt litter and create a smoke-free and healthier environment for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The panel approved the ordinance in a 3-1 vote at its Sept. 14 meeting.

Mayor Jim Ford, Councilman Ted Becker and Councilwoman Barbara Vaughan voted in favor of the measure. Councilwoman Stephanie Tsantes voted against it. Councilman Victor Letenoff was out of town and did not vote.

Vaughan and Becker have spearheaded research of existing outdoor smoking ordinances and used some of what they learned to craft Lewes’ law.

Vaughan said the parks and playgrounds smoking ordinance won’t be implemented or enforced until a program to educate the public about the law is in place and until the city has enough money to buy and install 30 signposts and no smoking signs and 30 smoke stacks for cigarette butt disposal.

The signs and smoke stacks would initially be distributed near the city’s six parks and two playgrounds.

Vaughan said it would cost a little more than $10,000 to buy materials, have the signs installed and have money left over for maintenance and replacements.

She said the project has $2,000 provided by Sussex County Councilwoman Joan Deaver from her councilmanic fund.

Vaughan’s request for a $2,000 matching grant from the Lewes Board of Public Works met stony silence at the board’s Wednesday, Sept. 23 meeting.

Board of Public Works (BPW) member Jim Roberts moved to approve the request but the motion failed to garner a second and no further comment from the panel.

At the end of the meeting Ford, who is an ex officio board member, asked the panel to explain why it didn’t support the grant request.

Board member Jay Carmean said the outdoor smoking ordinance doesn’t apply to the BPW’s mission. Carmean said that although he supports the ordinance, it has societal implications.

“It might be possible to help in some other way,” Carmean said.

Gary Stabley, board president, and C. Wendell Alfred, vice president, generally agreed with Carmean.

Carmean added the BPW would be a tenant in the expanded City Hall building, which is on schedule for completion before year’s end.

He said as office space lessees in the building, the board would provide the city with a new revenue stream that could be used in any way mayor and council desired.

Board members Jim Gayhardt and Jim Roberts did not comment. Vaughan said the search for money to fund the project is ongoing and an application for an American Lung Association grant is pending.

She said Elaine Pease, city grant specialist, is also researching other funding sources.

Vaughan said finding a way to effectively ban smoking on city beaches is complicated. She said among difficulties that must be overcome is how to create designated beach smoking areas without driving smokers to light up just outside the boundary.

Vaughan said the search for other examples of ordinances that restrict or ban smoking on public beaches would continue during the winter.

She said although the Town of Bethany Beach has an ordinance banning smoking on its beach and boardwalk, Lewes officials would like to review similar ordinances used in other beach communities

Vaughan said public backing of Lewes’ outdoor smoking ordinance has been strong.

“Many residents have said how much they support the plans,” she said.