Selma businesses sent a message to the city council on Monday night.

The message was that the business community doesn’t have a big concern for making Selma a smoke-free city.

Only two or three businesses made their presence known Monday. This could be due to the fact that most businesses are already smoke free.

As a matter of fact the Times-Journal provides a smoke free environment for its employees and customers. With the exception of the bars, restaurants and nightclubs most all businesses have already enforced a non-smoking ordinance.

During Monday’s meeting Pam Bostick, representative for the American Cancer Society, said that three-fourths of the people in Dallas County do not smoke and that a survey of other states and municipalities that have similar ordinances showed that cities did not lose any sales taxes because of a smoking ban.

If that is true then the businesses don’t have anything to lose.

Bob Kelly, owner of the Tally-Ho restaurant, said that he had no problem in implementing the ordinance.

President George Evans said because of the lack of response the city council would discuss the ordinance at their next council meeting and possibly give people a certain number of days to give the council feedback on the ban.

The council may have heard the business community’s response with their absence from Monday’s meeting.

The fact the council is extending its invitation to the business owners is a favorable decision, but unless they voice their opinions it will be up to the council to incorporate a smoke-free environment for the patrons of Selma. They then will make a decision that will be to the best interest of Selmians.