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Residents raise leaf-pickup and garbage-bill concerns; city says IEPA accepted lead-service inventory
Summary
Residents complained about ending the leaf pickup program and increases in garbage bills; Director Roberts said the vacuuming program was canceled because haulers pulled back and the sanitation account faced significant shortfalls. Staff also said the Illinois EPA accepted the city's lead-service-line inventory, noting 27 lead service lines were identified in the inventory.
Residents used the public-comment period and departmental commentary to press the council on sanitation and water-safety matters.
Nancy Coleman expressed frustration that residents had to bag leaves themselves this year and said the timing of a garbage-bill increase made the change especially burdensome for seniors. During departmental commentary, Director Roberts explained the city's leaf-vacuuming program was canceled after contractors and major haulers withdrew services or reduced leaf-vacuum operations; staff described the program change as driven by contract costs and labor shortages.
Roberts also told the council the city submitted a lead-service-line inventory that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has accepted and that the inventory is now available on the city website. Staff said the inventory identified 27 lead service lines (transcript phrasing about "16 gallon" is ambiguous and flagged for clarification); Roberts noted that the city mains to meters are not lead but that internal household plumbing may still have lead solder and recommended testing or filters for concerned residents.
Council members asked for context on the sanitation rate changes. Staff said the sanitation contract experienced large shortfalls (transcript references a rough magnitude of $500,000–$700,000) that were offset in part by tax revenue, which contributed to the need for higher garbage fees.
Staff advised residents that yard-waste collection typically resumes April 1 and suggested storing bagged leaves until then or using private mulch/collection centers.
