Description
Ever since St. Peter's made a policy of "no smoking" on hospital grounds, their employees have been crossing the street to smoke under the canopies of the businesses along New Scotland Avenue. In doing so, they drop their cigarette butts and gum all over the sidewalk. The business owners have complained to Saint Peter's to no avail.
This is not only a health hazard for residents walking along the sidewalk and having to breathe cigarette smoke, but going in and out of any business is also unpleasant. The clouds of smoke hover, and customers should not have to be exposed to this unpleasantness. It wasn't so bad when the policy began but this winter dozens of smokers congregated regularly in front of Subway, and yesterday the sidewalks were a disgrace.
I suggest the city make a NO SMOKING area from the corner of New Scotland at South Manning, to New Scotland at West Lawrence. Punishable by a fine.
Saint Peter's has a responsibility to create a smoking area for their employees. Their problem should not compromise taxpaying businesses.
also asked...
A. Unsanitary conditions
A. No Answer Given
36 Comments
City of Albany Admin 3 (Verified Official)
Glenwood Partridge (Registered User)
PB (Registered User)
Leslie D (Registered User)
Lynn B (Registered User)
SNL (Registered User)
J (Registered User)
Glenwood Partridge (Registered User)
St. Peter's should be REQUIRED to make accommodations or rules for THEIR employees who smoke which do not result in them simply standing in business doorways, in front of Temple, etc, and treating our neighborhood like an ashtray.
Leslie D (Registered User)
Acknowledged BRC Rick (Verified Official)
BRC Rick (Verified Official)
nellie (Registered User)
I_Love_NY (Registered User)
It's state law that prohibits smoking at places if employment. St. Peter's used to have outdoor pavillions for smokers, but they had to take them down. St. Peter's has also had quitting programs for employees and smokers get charged more for health insurance (carrots and sticks). How much do you want any employer controlling the off-duty activities of their employees?
Also, a lot of patients and their visitors leave the hospital to smoke.
What if businesses along New Scotland installed smoke detectors that alarm with cigarette smoke? That would "encourage" them to go elsewhere. Or, an enterprising person could open a smokers club in one of the storefronts.
PalComm (Registered User)
city living (Registered User)
Leslie D (Registered User)
Sam (Registered User)
PB (Registered User)
Closed BRC Rick (Verified Official)
PB (Registered User)
J (Registered User)
nellie (Registered User)
BRC Rick (Verified Official)
J (Registered User)
PB (Registered User)
PB (Registered User)
There are free cigarette butt and chewing gum recycling programs
If Schenectady can embrace it, so can Albany! Maybe St.Peters will sponsor a dozen or so boxes in the neighborhood?
See: zerowasteboxes.terracycle.com/pages/litter-prevention-solutions
terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/cigarette-waste-recycling
BRC Rick (Verified Official)
Reopened J (Registered User)
BRC Rick (Verified Official)
PB (Registered User)
I have to wonder why the building department was responding to this post in the first place?
Thank you Rick for routing this to the right Dept. Hopefully Molly will have an update on the DGS plan soon
BRC Rick (Verified Official)
PB (Registered User)
Molly- see the links above for a pretty self-sustaining and proven option to help keep public areas clean.
Took this today in Schenectady- it’s in front of a bar and there wasn’t even one visible cigarette butt on the ground!
Acknowledged DGS_Molly McGuire (Verified Official)
Neighbor (Registered User)
WinnieStreetHyggeHouse (Registered User)
Closed Neighborhood & Community Services (Verified Official)