Deerfield officials outline snow response and leaf-collection timing after early storm
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Summary
Public works staff told the Village Board that leaf collection runs four weeks before Thanksgiving, this year’s program collected about 7,100 cubic yards, and crews converted equipment for an early snow that burned roughly 400 tons of rock salt and about 2,000 gallons of liquid salt during the weekend event.
The Deerfield Village Board on Monday heard a detailed briefing from public works staff about how the village handles leaf collection and snow response after an early season storm.
Bob Phillips, the public works representative who answered trustees’ questions, said leaf collection “always begins four weeks before Thanksgiving” and that the fourth week of collection is the week of Thanksgiving. Staff typically collect roughly 7,000–7,500 cubic yards of leaves each season; “on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we collected about 7,100,” Phillips said.
Phillips described how crews shift equipment from leaf collection to snow operations: trucks and attachments were converted the Friday after Thanksgiving so plows and salt could be deployed for the Saturday storm. He said operations prioritize mains (Waukegan Road, Deerfield Road, Greenwood, Millwood), then collector streets, side streets, cul-de-sacs and finally sidewalks.
On usage, Phillips said the village used as much as 400 tons of rock salt during an extended storm and burned “about 2,000 gallons of liquid” deicing fluids. He noted how temperature and storm duration affect how much material crews apply and that staff will return early the next morning (around 4–5 a.m.) to touch up routes before the morning commute.
Trustees asked whether newly paved streets (a contractor paved part of Hazel) were impacted by salt application; Phillips said the pavement was still cooling when the storm arrived and some sections will receive a surface course in spring but that the road was operable. On leaf piles mixed with snow, staff reminded residents they can place leaves in compost bins or use leaf bags for LRS pickup (LRS will collect leaf bags through Dec. 15).
The briefing closed with trustees thanking the public works crews for extra hours and holiday work during the transition and storm response. Phillips and trustees said staff would continue monitoring materials and costs as winter continues.
