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Page 3 <br />City Council Minutes > <br />August 3 , 1994 ~• <br />sales from people who cannot rely upon Tom Thumb to supply their <br />cigarettes. <br />Mayor Baldwin stated that the city's job is to license businesses <br />and the sale of tobacco, not to oversee the actions of store clerks <br />or purchasers. This ordinance is not unique to Falcon Heights and <br />is not even the strictest ordinance in the area. <br />Alan Bradshaw, representing Falcon Heights Amoco, also stated that <br />he tries very hard to train his employees not to sell to minors. <br />He suggested that store employees be required to sign a letter <br />stating that they won't sell cigarettes to minors and have that <br />letter on file at City Hall. When an illegal sale takes place, it <br />can be shown that the employee was at fault, not the license <br />holder. He also suggested that the City send personalized <br />"congratulations" letters to those clerks that pass compliance <br />checks. <br />Mr. Bradshaw further stated that he would support a license fee <br />increase if the fees would go toward education and uniform training <br />purposes instead of compliance checks. Police do not stop minors <br />for cigarette possession and yet have the time to do compliance <br />checks. Fines on businesses will not solve the underlying social <br />problems associated with underage tobacco use. <br />Mayor Baldwin explained that he understands the issues of peer <br />pressure and how a young clerk might not want to deal with <br />confrontation at the counter. However, he also explained that the <br />city's compliance checks do not involve any coercion at all and do <br />not involve the use of fake identification. When a youth <br />compliance checker is told he cannot buy cigarettes due to age, the <br />youth is instructed to simply walk away. <br />Councilmember Hustad noted that, with the change of police provider <br />in January 1995, there will be an officer in the city limits 24 <br />hours each day. The idea of having police monitor youth tobacco <br />usage is a realistic possibility. <br />Motion by Councilmember Jacobs to approve the ordinance as <br />presented, with one addition including language providing for <br />license revocation in the event that a vendor with a suspended <br />license continues to sell tobacco products. Motion passed <br />unanimously. <br />ANNOUNCEMENTS <br />Councilmember Hustad passed out information from the Minnesota <br />State Planning agency on public sector payroll costs versus private <br />sector costs. <br />Administrator Hoyt reported on three successful events of the <br />previous week: National Night Out, Teen Night Out, and the Ice <br />Cream Social. Thanks were extended to the many volunteers who <br />