Oct. 26 start to city's annual war on leaves

Thursday, October 15, 2015
Autumn leaves may look beautiful now, but they will soon be piling up on the ground, awaiting the annual collection efforts of the Greencastle Department of Public Works. That will begin on Monday, Oct. 26 and continue through Nov.30. (Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE)

The falling leaves ... drift by our window ... the falling leaves of red and gold.

Yes, the autumn leaves are starting to pile up, and with the first frost right on the horizon, they will soon be coming down even faster.

Consequently, that means it's time for Greencastle Street Department thoughts to turn to leaves. Or at least thoughts of getting rid of them.

And as Department of Public Works Director Brad Phillips told the Greencastle City Council Tuesday night that annual assault on leaves is right around the corner.

Speaking from the City Hall podium, Phillips said city leaf-collection efforts will commence on Monday, Oct. 26 and continue through Nov. 30, following city trash route schedule in the process.

However, that schedule will not include the two fall holidays for city workers, Tuesday, Nov. 3 (Election Day) and Wednesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).

Residents within city limits are advised to rake their leaves only to the curb -- and not into the street -- or into the area between the street and sidewalk.

In those locations void of a curb or sidewalk, residents are advised to put their leaves out near the street but not into it.

"No limbs, no trash, no bags," Phillips cautioned.

Simple rules of the Greencastle leaf pick-up effort to keep in mind include:

-- 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 be washed into the storm sewers).

-- Never mix in any kind of trash or tree limbs or with leaves (tree limbs or foreign objects can damage equipment and put the leaf vac out of commission at a most inopportune time).

-- Burning leaves (or trash, for that matter) is not permissible within the City of Greencastle.

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

"If we get behind," Phillips advised, "we will stay on the route until we get it done."

He was asked if the Street Department is ready for the inevitable return of "the white stuff."

Phillips said he has 300 tons of salt on hand, awaiting the wrath of winter and has already "dressed out" two department trucks with plows and salt apparatus.

"We don't really have time to do it once we get into leaf season," he explained.

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