MEXICO – Asked recently to make the town recreation center, park building and grounds smoke-free, selectmen took the issue under advisement Wednesday night after halfheartedly attempting to induce Town Manager John Madigan, Road Commissioner Dave Errington and police Chief Jim Theriault to quit smoking.

Board Chairman Barbara Laramee, a former smoker, said she didn’t have a problem with designating the areas no smoking, but then sought the opinion of Theriault, because the Police Department is in the recreation center building.

“I don’t have a problem with making them smoke-free, as long as we can have a small designated smoking area,” he said. Theriault said he’s smoked for 40 years and has tried unsuccessfully to quit.

“Personally, I do not want to make it smoke-free and, then have people drive by and see the police chief and others smoking there,” Laramee said.

Selectman Reggie Arsenault, another former smoker, then wanted to know who would enforce such a smoking ban. Theriault said it would be up to the police, however, they couldn’t be everywhere at once. That prompted Arsenault to say that the idea was nice to contemplate, but didn’t sound feasible.

Selectman Peter Merrill, a non-smoker, then suggested that the board take it under advisement.

“I think we should not abandon it, but rather keep it alive,” Selectman George Byam said. Byam was the only one who didn’t say if he smokes or ever did.

Byam then suggested making a smoking cessation program available to Theriault, Errington, Madigan and other town employees. But that didn’t seem to go anywhere after Arsenault said, “If you’re not ready psychologically, it’s not going to happen.”

Theriault then offered to draft a policy that would restrict police officers to only smoke in one small area behind the police station, but selectmen moved on to the next agenda item without taking action.