Greencastle war on leaves gets under way Oct. 29

Monday, October 22, 2012
Early frost locally has brought down its share of leaves already in Greencastle area.

Like clockwork, it happens every autumn. Trees turn beautiful colors. Days grow shorter. Cooler air prevails.

And Greencastle Street Department thoughts turn to leaves. At least getting rid of them.

The annual leaf battle is about to begin. Public Works Director Brad Phillips told the Greencastle City Council earlier this month that city leaf-collection efforts will begin Monday, Oct. 29 and continue through Friday, Nov. 30.

Unofficially if his crews see large piles of leaves already out this week, Phillips said, he may send out one leaf vacuum to take care of them. However, the full-blown, two-vacuum war on leaves will not officially commence until Monday, Oct. 29.

And with Thanksgiving occurring early this year, on Nov. 22, Greencastle residents will be able to take advantage of the holiday weekend to rake leaves and have them ready in time for the final rounds of the leaf vacuums on Nov. 30.

That also adds a full week to the leaf-collection schedule this year.

"We will be following the trash routes," Phillips said of the leaf schedule, "so please have them (the leaves) out the day before because we only go through each day's route once during a week unless we are ahead of schedule."

Holiday leaf collection will be run the day before if possible along the regular route, he added.

Other simple rules of Greencastle leaf pick-up include:

-- Collection schedule follows city trash routes as closely as possible. So if your trash is picked up on Mondays, the leaf vac will probably get your leaves that day too (unless the effort gets behind because of mass quantities of leaves or inclement weather).

-- No bags are to ever be used; leaves should be raked into the area between the sidewalk and curb or to the edge of the yard if there is no curb (never into the street where they can wash into the storm sewers).

-- Do not mix in any limbs or trash with leaves (tree limbs or trash can damage equipment and put the leaf vac out of commission).

-- Also, burning leaves is not permissible in the City of Greencastle.

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