No Brush on the Curb During Leaf Season

The turn the Two River Area into a colorful autumn wonderland but also bring on the challenge of removal.

The  (DPW) in both Rumson and Fair Haven have their hands full removing all of the leaves before winter setttles in.

The DPWs can't get the job done properly when residents do not follow the schedule and continue to put out brush. "We are having a problem in town with resident and landscaper placing brush out to the street and also mixing them in with the leaves," said Mark Wellner,  DPW superintendent. "There is no brush pick up during the months of November and December because the DPW has to concentrate on leaf pickup and try to get them all picked up before the snow comes."

According to Wellner, the Rumson DPW went out and did a final pick up of brush on November 2nd and 3rd. "All brush out to the street is now the residents or landscapers responsibility to have it removed. The rule on this has not changed from years passed," said Wellner.

Brush that is still on the streets creates a problem for the crews trying to remove the fall leaves. Wellner said, "It is makes our job more difficult and less effective because the works have to pull the sticks out of the leaves. Also if it does snow it will make our job more difficult to plow the roads."

In Rumson, brush is collected on an ongoing basis from January 1 through October 31 of each year. Leaves are collected from November 1^st through December 31^st and must be put at the curb, unbagged and clean meaning no sticks or debris.

A brush vs. leaf issue was brought up at the  meeting on November 14 as well.

"It is very important in any municipality to get the leaves up before the snow hits because they could be there for the rest of the season. When the leaves mix with the snow, it gets ugly," said Theresa Casagrande, Administrator. She said that brush on Fair Haven streets creates a problem for Fair Haven DPW workers as well.

Casagrande said the months of November through January are soley for leaf pick-up and the current schedule can be found on the borough website.

For 2012, Casagrande is working with Rich Gardella, the Fair Haven DPW superintendent, to improve brush and leaf pick-up in the borough. "We're elimating the zones and allowing the residents to put brush out at their convienence when we pick up brush," said Casagrande. She says to keep an eye out for the 2012 schedule in the next Focus or the borough calendar which will be delivered by mail to all residents in the month of Decemeber.

Fair Haven's current brush and leaf schedule is done in zones and is monthly as follows:

• January: Leaves Only
• February: No pick-up
• March: Leaves and Brush
• April: Leaves and Brush
• May: Brush Only
• June: Brush Only
• July: Brush Only
• August: No pick-up
• September: Brush Only
  
• October: Leaves and Brush
  
• November: Leaves Only
• December: Leaves Only