Lincolnshire leaf collection program to stay

Lincolnshire will continue to offer its leaf collection program to residents following analysis by staff and pleas by residents to maintain the village's beauty.

“It's a valuable program and it's valued by the residents,” Trustee Tom McDonough said followed by applause from residents who attended Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting.

The board asked village staff to review its leaf collection program and present the findings, which included keeping the program as is, revising or possibly ending it.

The village picks up fallen leaves from all public residential streets between October and December. Three trucks pick up leaves from 1,700 residential properties, which includes 70 percent of all properties within the village. Last year, more than 8,000 cubic yards of leaves was collected. Costing the village $170,000 a year, the village addressed the program as a possible money saving measure.

Jennifer Hughes, the village's director of public works, said one option would be to create a voluntary subscription program that would cost $100 to $200 depending on its participation.

Other options presented to the board were to contract with a waste hauling firm, leaf burning or to end the program. She said the staff recommended to keep the program.

Residents, who filled most chairs in the village board meeting room, voiced support to continue the leaf collection program.

“We call ourselves a tree community. Having this is the price we pay,” said Bonnie Benkler, who has lived in village 10 years.

Trustee David Saltiel said as revenue has decreased, the village has sought ways to reduce costs. The village has already done so by cutting nine staff members, frozen salaries and cut programs.

“One of the things we contemplated was ‘let's see where we can cut and let's see where they will complain,'” he said. “This is the first time we've had people come out and complain about a cut, and that's great. We're trying to get some feedback as to what the residents want.”

The board agreed to further review how the program costs can be reduced, such as eliminating the collection by one or two weeks. But trustee Liz Brandt said keeping this program is necessary to keep the village image residents all expect.

“We want to maintain the beauty and cleanliness of Lincolnshire. We have to do it smarter and maybe with less people,” she said.