Spot On PB!!

Thank you Glenwood! Pass it on thru social media... maybe with enough attention, we can clean up our neighborhood!

the department of corporate communications would probably be interested in this ! and here is their into on the web page - with a link to fill out a form to tell them. Telling the city might help but telling the Hospital directly might get results (and at least a personal response) http://www.sphcs.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=1341&action=detail&ref=34

Disgusting.

Thank you PB for reporting. We walk by that area to get to school, etc, and there's always smoke, not to mention all the cig. butts on the ground. I also feel badly for the St P. employees -- they look like vagrants standing out there on the street. St. Peter's should provide a respectable covered space for their employees to smoke.

A hospital should provide a place for people to inhale carcinogens?

J: i believe the point is:
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.

It doesn't help that the patrons of Thirsty's also uses New Scotland avenue as their personal ashtray - so If we are to require SPH to accommodate employee smoking so should we hold Thirsty's to the same standard? Have the Hosptial hire someone to clean - not the city - this could be a Service in Lieu of Taxes.

Thank you for reporting this situation. An inspector has been assigned to evaluate the premises.

BRC Rick assigned this issue to BRC - Sergio S

I walked past the hospital on Sat. a.m. and 4 women were smoking there. There is no enforcement and I'm tired of dodging 2nd hand smoke.

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.

We need to find addiction programs. Most of these smokers are addicted to nicotine. Until we address the addictions in our society we'll keep pushing addicts to the fringes and cause others discomfort if not harm.

It is disgusting and a serious issue, but the Dunkin Donuts and the bars have patrons that do this,too, not just the St. Peter's employees/visitors. It's really gross to walk down the street on the CVS side. Who is responsible for providing a spot for smokers?

I'm not exactly sure anyone wants to be that entity who provides a spot for smokers ! Even if the bars, Dunkin Donuts and the Hospital provided receptacles for butts, getting people to use them is a different story (elimination of the trash problem.). Boycott Dunkin donuts if people are smoking in their parking lot???

This nuisance needs fixing. We want to walk instead of taking the car, but the sidewalks along this stretch are a filthy mess.

The city of Schenectady has these mounted downtown and it appears to do the trick.

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Rick- you closed this, but has anything been done?

Of course nothing was done. They just wanted to clear the open issues.

Install camers and fine the repeated abusers -- a good source of revenue.

It was closed because it wasn’t closed previously and because it isn’t an issue we can cite for.

Good to know it's legal to litter now.

Rick- I’m confused. There is extreme littering and air pollution in front of tax paying businesses. If some littering signs could be posted it would help. Why is this not possible? What about installing some of those fantastic pole-mounted cigarette collectors? Possibly scheduling more frequent sidewalk cleaning?

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

The building department does not install signs. These suggestions are good and may be something the Department of General Services can look at.

Then get it in the queue of the right department. This was submitted as an issue for the City of Albany to solve. We the citizens don't care what department needs to solve it and we don't want it brushed off because "it's not my problem".

J I will be happy to forward this to the proper department. My response is not a “not my problem” response. It is to simply tell you which department to contact when you want an update or have further issues. Have a great night.

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 assigned this issue to DGS_Molly McGuire

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!

Thank you for your concern, this issue has been received by our department and is under review.

Absolutely correct! It's disgusting. They can build all these urgent care facilities, so build a smoke shack! People with already compromised or not yet compromised immune systems or possible future cancer from 2nd hand smoke shouldn't have to deal with that.

The area needs to be cleaned up on a daily basis. Cigarette butts all over our neighborhood sidewalks are really disgusting.

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