There was a surprising turn at last night’s Sedalia City Council meeting as the smoking ban, which had been so hotly contested by two factions of the council over the past few months, passed with a 6-2 vote.

Second ward councilwoman Wanda Monsees joined 3rd ward councilman Bob Cross in voting against the ban, while 2nd ward council woman Becca Lastrada and 4th ward councilman Larry Stevenson went against previous indicators and voted yes on the ban. The other four council members; Stephen Galliher, and Jo Lynn Turley of the 1st ward, Wiley Walter of the 3rd ward, and Tolbert Rowe of the 4th ward voted yes as expected.

The consensus among the media and those who have followed the issue has always been a 4-4 tie with Mayor Elaine Horn as the deciding vote. Prior to the vote on the ban, councilman Cross made a motion seconded by Lastrada to take the issue to the voters. That motion was defeated by the same number of votes as was used to pass the smoking ban.

Following the meeting City Administrator, Gary Edwards said the ban would go into effect in September. Tune into KSIS Radio for the morning report with Doug for more information from Monday night’s city council and school board meetings.

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