St. Charles leaf collection program to continue a week

Trees in St. Charles seem to have lost an understanding of both the word "fall" and what the fall season is supposed to mean for trees this year. As a result, city officials agreed to a six-figure solution to ridding the community of its lingering leaves Monday night.

The city uses a portion of utility fees every year to fund fall leaf collection. The collections begin at the end of October and finish by Thanksgiving Day. But this year, the city has yet to see a true, lasting freeze. The higher-than-usual temperatures have left plenty of leaves in yards, on streets and in trees. That's a clutter many residents don't know what to do with unless the city keeps the leaf collection program going, said Alderman Jo Krieger.

"There are people in my ward saying, 'I'm just going to leave them in my yard and let them blow over to my neighbors,'" Krieger said. "We have to pick up the leaves."

By this same time last year, St. Charles had already had about nine inches of snowfall, according to Public Works Manager AJ Reineking. But there were options to get rid of the leaves as long as aldermen were willing to spend an additional, unbudgeted, $107,000 to keep the leaf collection program running another week. That price tag doesn't include an additional $24,000 to extend the separate leaf bagging pickup program as well.

"I got a lot of emails, and I'm sure my fellow aldermen did as well," said Alderman Dan Stellato. "I would simply make the motion to give public works permission to proceed."

Aldermen voted unanimously to spend the money and keep the leaf program running another week. Reineking said there is a narrow window for one more citywide leaf collection. Weather forecasts for next week indicate falling temperatures and the potential for snow. At that point, leaf collection would become impossible, he said.

Aldermen agreed to forego the usual approval process for the expense, which would normally require one more vote next week. Reineking said city staff will pick a day for the final leaf collection and send out some advance notice, as best is possible, so residents can collect whatever leaves they have left.

Reineking said city staff will also refine the leaf collection program next year to take into account weather forecasts with longer range and use tentative dates when bidding out the leaf collection contract.

St. Charles residents should check the city's website at www.stcharlesil.gov for updates about the final leaf collection.