City commissioners asked one Main Street business owner to clear his sidewalk of cigarette butts at the Cedartown City Commission August meeting.

Jim Howell, president of the A+ Driving Services of Georgia company located at 403 S. Main St., answered questions from commissioners concerning complaints that his company’s patrons have been littering the sidewalk with cigarette butts.

During the meeting, commissioners said that Howell’s patrons smoke on the sidewalk during breaks and throw cigarette butts on the ground, instead of properly disposing of them.

Commissioners Larry Odom and Ray Merritt said at times they’ve personally seen anywhere from 30 to 60 butts covering that area.

Commissioners said they have received complaints from the public concerning the litter outside Howell’s business.

At the meeting, Howell debated the issue in defense of his business and patrons, but agreed to make additional efforts to provide proper disposal containers.

Howell said his employees sweep the area three times per week and they already provide a place for the cigarette butts.

Odom said he wasn’t trying to make a “federal case” out of the complaints; he just wanted Howell to take care of the volume of cigarette butts being thrown down on Main Street.

Howell said that he would work with his staff more to correct the problem and he would provide another container to throw the cigarette butts in.

Howell’s company operates 11 driving training schools in northwest Georgia. He said that the Cedartown office opened 10 years ago.

His company teaches alcohol and drug risk reduction courses and they offer defensive driving classes to government agencies and private companies.

The company also works with deaf and handicapped youth as well as high school students, Howell explained.