ROCKY HILL - Rocky Hill smokers will now have to put out their cigarettes before setting foot on town property, including parks, the Town Council decided last Monday.

       The council voted to adopt a Tobacco Free Policy for all municipal property, including the town hall campus, town buildings and parks.

       â€�"The town manager approached me on this and I agree 100 percent. We provide benefits to all of our town employees and to let them smoke on our time I think is wrong. They can smoke on their breaks and lunch hours,” said Mayor Timothy Moriarty. â€�"It’s happening everywhere--all the state buildings and hospitals and schools are smoke free.”

       Town Manager Barbara Gilbert said smoking at town parks is a common complaint, particularly during concerts in the park.

       â€�"One of the complaints is parents who bring their kids to the playground, there are butts littered on the ground,” Gilbert said. â€�"Employees have to clean that up. I would not want to go out and have to clean up someone else’s cigarette butts all the time.”

       Signs will be posted on town property and police will be instructed to enforce the policy.

       â€�"I’m not going to have the police stop somebody who’s walking through the park with a cigarette and arrest him or give him a ticket,” Gilbert said, â€�"but we will have it enforced during concerts.”