Cleveland residents complain area workers using their neighborhood as ashtray

CLEVELAND - Gwen Saffo pointed to cigarette butts and litter in front of her Cleveland home on East 100 Street. It's a problem Saffo said is growing because of a large group of area workers who litter her neighborhood during their daily lunch breaks.

"They just smoke in the area and don't care. It doesn't make any sense. They need to step up and do something."

Saffo showed NewsChannel5 signs posted by Fairfax Place Nursing Home that read "smoke free zone," but Saffo said the signs have had little impact.

She isn't the only resident complaining. Cleveland Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell told NewsChannel5 several homeowners in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood have contacted her office about inconsiderate smokers.

Both Councilwoman Mitchell along with Saffo claim Cleveland Clinic employees are the biggest offenders, walking off of the smoke-free clinic property to catch a cigarette during their lunch break.

NewsChannel5 confirmed the heaviest concentration of cigarette litter can be found along Cedar Avenue, between East 93 Street and East 100 Street, across from the Cleveland Clinic campus.

"I believe the Cleveland Clinic is a good neighbor," said Mitchell. "It's just a group of employees that just aren't disposing of their cigarettes properly."

5 On Your Side cameras caught Cleveland Clinic employees, and workers from other surrounding businesses, simply tossing their cigarettes to the ground.

"They don't care. They need to stop doing what their doing," said Saffo. "I hope the Cleveland Clinic reprimands the employees that do come over here."

NewsChannel5 contacted the Cleveland Clinic office of corporate communications about this case and it responded immediately with the following statement.

"Cleveland Clinic does not approve of this action and we take these complaints seriously. We strive to be good neighbors, and we'll continue to educate our employees about keeping the neighborhood clean."

Councilwoman Mitchell confirmed the Cleveland Clinic has agreed to a meeting to search for a solution.

Residents like Saffo said clean-up crews have since been at the scene of the vacant lot near her home, picking up a large amount of debris.

"We take pride in our homes, just like you would too," said Saffo. "You wouldn't want anybody out in your neighborhood smoking in your area."

NewsChannel5 and newsnet5.com will follow-up on the clean-up effort in the coming weeks.