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The future of La Crosse’s leaf collection program is uncertain as costs rise and resources dwindle; however, it will proceed this fall after a discussion Monday by the Board of Public Works.

La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat brought together city staff from four different departments to try and find a solution, saying if the city is going to pick up leaves in the fall, then it needs to do it right.

“It boils down to, from the city’s perspective, are we going to provide this service or not?” Kabat said. “I don’t want to go through another two seasons like we have the last two, where we’ve not performed that service the way it should be.”

In 2017 and 2018, the city began collecting leaves Oct. 2 and continued until snow made it impossible. La Crosse spent $223,000 in 2017 and $276,000 in 2018 gathering 792 and 670 loads of leaves, respectively. That cost has more than doubled since 2005, when the city spent $98,974 to collect 547 loads of leaves.

Not only has the city’s Street Department heard from residents unhappy with the service — it received 222 phone calls about leaf pickup last fall — but council members like Phillip Ostrem also have heard from their constituents. Something needs to be done, said Ostrem, who is also a member of the board.