Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Leaf pick up has been conducted in Warsaw for the past three weeks and residents can have their leaves picked up for another four weeks.
The city has four leaf pick-up employees who have been working 10 hours a day and Saturdays to collect leaves in the city, according to Street Superintendent Lacy Francis.
"We appreciate residents' patience as we try to get all of the leaves picked up," Francis said.
The employees pick up leaves in the streets first, then leaves from residential properties and leaves in street alleys are picked up last, Francis said.
"Some areas have Maple and Cotton Wood trees that lose their leaves faster so it takes longer to collect leaves from those areas," Francis said.
The leaves are taken to Boggs Industrial Park where they are blended with brush, clippings and compost.
The leaves are part of the mulch that is given out during the spring and fall for people's gardens, Francis said.
Francis said residents can bag or box leaves on their garbage day or rake the leaves to the curb. He said it is important that residents don't rake the leaves into the street so they don't clog gutters.
Severn Trent Services has been collecting leaves in Winona Lake since the beginning of October.
The department averages 12-15 loads of leaves per day and has three leaf pick-up employees and two trucks for collection, according to Winona Lake Public Works Director Pete O'Connell.
The department picks up leaves Monday through Friday.
The leaves collected are taken to a landfill in Winona Lake on Freedom Avenue.
Winona Lake sent out a newsletter to its residents last week reminding them to place leaves at the curbside, but not on the street.
"Raking leaves into the street causes problems when it rains and clogs up storm drainage," O'Connell said.
He said street personnel will rake leaves into a rake machine once the leaves are at the curb.
