Reduced Leaf Collection a Real Possibility in Borough

An understaffed borough Department of Public Works could mean significant changes to leaf pickup this fall, according to DPW Director Bob Venezia.

Venezia came to the Borough Council last night to tell members about the department's staffing issues.

There is one vacancy in the department, and one DPW employee is out with a long-term injury. The department also lost a grass contract earlier this year, meaning the department is essentially down three men, or 120 man hours.

He said the department now will not be able to maintain services the way it has in the past without enough people to do the jobs. The department also needs to work consistently to maintain its fleet of vehicles and its water plant, but without enough employees, many of the people who would normally spend time doing those sorts of jobs are stuck doing day-to-day things like picking up leaves during the fall.

"I used everyone last [fall]," Venezia said. "There were days that went by where we didn't do anything on the other ends, on the water plant. And it's getting serious."

Borough Council members said something will have to give. Services will likely need to be cut.

"There's no in between anymore," said Councilman James Lonergan. "We know [Venezia] runs the most lean operation to begin with."

Venezia presented the council with four potential cost-saving options. Borough Council members didn't make a final decision on any of them, but spoke favorably about reducing the amount of vacuums that are picking up leaves throughout the borough at any given time.

Last year, the department had three vaccums going around town at any given moment, and all the leaves were picked up by early December. But Venezia said the department could cut back to using two vacuums. It did so in 2008, but Venezia warned it would be leaf pickup wouldn't be complete until close to Christmastime. He also said that would mean leaves would be picked up at any given residence about every three weeks.

Council members noted that residents unhappy with the frequency of the pickup could bag their leaves themselves and drop them off at the borough's mulch site.

"They have [that] option," said Councilman Bruce Harris.

Venezia also said the Borough Council could do three other things:

- It could keep the three vacuums but reduce each vacuum team by one man. That would cut costs but some productivity would be lost.

- It could end curbside leaf collection and enact extended hours at the mulch site so people could drop off their leaves more easily. That would save money but would be an inconvenience for borough residents.

- It could stay the course and keep the three vacuums running. The leaves would be picked up quickly—according to Venezia, "we picked up a lot more than we did ever" in 2009—but other areas, such as the water plant, would be neglected.

The council will need to make a decision on the matter soon.

"If we revamp the schedule, I think we're going to want to get that out to the residents as soon as possible," Venezia said.

The borough could also save some money by outsourcing its grass maintenance, and council members agreed they might need to in order to cut costs. Venezia supported doing so.

The borough will also likely hire one person to fill its vacancy.