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“We have gotten some calls recently from some [private club] members or relatives of members saying they weren’t able to enjoy the club,” he said.
Blanchard said the spirit of the meeting is meant to “solicit the opinion of the public” and club members to see whether adopting a private-club smoking ban is appropriate.
“A fairly sizable number [of communities] have already done this,”
he noted. “A lot of towns are doing it proactively.”
Blanchard said he hasn’t spoken yet with members at either club, but said the health department will begin to advertise the public hearing, and reach out for feedback, in March.
Neither club could be reached for comment.
The other private clubs in town, the Hoosic and Wollaston Golf Club, are for-profits and required by the state to ban smoking, Blanchard said. Nonprofits are exempt from that law.
The April 6 public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Council on Aging, 10 Walnut St.