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The Oneida Daily Dispatch (oneidadispatch.com), Serving Oneida, NY

Top Stories

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

By:JODY McNICHOL

ONEIDA - Getting a tattoo in the City of Oneida is now legal.

The public health ordinance, which goes back some 100 years, has now been overturned with the ban on tattooing deleted.

Some local Cub Scouts were on hand to see the decision at Tuesday's Oneida Common Council meeting.

Oneida Pack 2 Webelos attended to earn the Citizenship Badge, said Leader Steve Potter. The fourth and fifth graders wereintroduced by Mayor Peter Hedglon, a former Scout leader, as "my troop." One of the boys, Spencer Rich, led the Pledge of

Allegiance as the meeting came to order.

The five boys, who also included Nick Docus, Sean McGranaghan, Ted Potter and Jeremy Howard sat quietly as council moved

quickly through the meeting's agenda to get to the public hearing on the the public health ordinance.

Noting the unusually large number of audience members, Hedglon commented that "I'd like to think it's because we are so

entertaining, but I know it's about the subject of tattoos."

After giving some guidelines for the hearing, for example, facts first, then opinions, and suggesting a time limit of three minutes

per person, the hearing began.

Tattoo artist Jarrod Genge was the first to the microphone, to say he was there to answer any questions. His wife, sister, parents

and two-year-old son were in the audience.

Genge is the only tattoo artist to pursue the topic with the city, a fact that was pointed out more than once by Jim Bacher, city

engineer.

He recommended waiting for regulations adding, "this is one person, one business. We can wait till there is some oversight. My

hairdresser has to have a license. There should be some regulation."

Don Moore, Ward 5 councilor, said "I don't have a tattoo; I don't ride a Harley; I don't have enough hair to braid, and I don't see

anything wrong with it."

Fire Chief Don Hudson talked about bringing business to downtown noting, "it's not about whether I have one or you have one,

it's about the chance to bring in business. We can go anyplace in the county and get a tattoo except the City of Oneida."

Mike Murawski, Ward 2, is opposed allowing tattooing and had a few questions and comments regarding cleanliness, discarding

contaminated materials such as needles and gloves. He noted that the Madison County Board of Health recently contacted

council members, via mail, to encourage them to leave the ordinance in place.

Max Smith, Ward 3, said it was difficult for him to "come up with a reason why this young man can't open a business based on a

oing legalized in City of Oneida - The Oneida Daily Dispatch (oneid... http://www.oneidadispatch.com/articles/2008/03/05/top_stories/

2/8/2011

8/2/2019 Tattooing Legalized in City of Oneida

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100-year-old ordinance and health codes that aren't even in place."

In the end it was four ayes from Jones, Smith, Moore and Brown.

Rafte and Murawski held on to their no votes.

And Genge said the Electric Pen, Oneida's first tattoo business will open on Madison Street some time next week.

Oneida City Supervisor Jim Rafte asked for a few minutes to address the council. He recognized that city officials had requestedthat they be "on the same page as the county" with respect to issues pertaining to the recent recommendation by the BIA to put

13,086 acres of land into trust for the Oneida Indian Nation.

Hedglon was invited to attend a recent meeting of the Madison County Native American Affairs Committee meeting in which Dave

Shraver, a litigation specialist in Indian law, spoke to the group. Rafte invited the council to attend an open meeting being held by

the committee next Tuesday at 7 p.m. Area municipalities and school districts are being invited and Shraver will again be in town

to discuss the decision and what it means.

When old business was brought up, Christmas decorations were the topic. After a bit of going back and forth regarding cost,

refurbishing or buying new, Bacher told the council how he really felt. "To be absolutely honest," he said, " Bah Humbug, I don't

care if we don't do it at all."

He noted that the Chamber of Commerce used to take care of all the decorations until the Oneida Improvement Committee

"foisted it on the city."

The decorations were tabled until the next meeting, March 18.

In new business, Murawski asked if City Attorney Mike DeBottis is a department head.

Hedglon said DeBottis is a department head, prompting Murawski to ask for monthly report saying that, "based on the

compensation issue, I'd like to see some vouchers and charges."

DeBottis, who gives a monthly report to Hedglon, offered to put one together based on what he does for 10 hours per week but

there is information that cannot be made public.

Murawski asked for something general to know what the attorney was doing and when he exceeded his budget. It was agreed

that DeBottis would put together a summary of hours and breakdown of costs.

URL: http://www.oneidadispatch.com/articles/2008/03/05/top_stories/20080305-archive4.prt

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oing legalized in City of Oneida - The Oneida Daily Dispatch (oneid... http://www.oneidadispatch.com/articles/2008/03/05/top_stories/

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