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Council discusses brush-pickup policy after residents left large loads, considers fees or chipper
Summary
Council discussed residents leaving large volumes of brush—and one resident removing an entire tree—during curbside pickup. Public Works said the city dump is full and crews take about a day and a half to complete pickup; council asked the Sustainability Committee to review options including fees or equipment purchase.
City officials told the City Council the recent brush pickup revealed limits in the city's capacity to manage large residential loads.
City Manager Darin DeHaan said several residents placed larger-than-expected piles of brush and that "the city does not have the capacity to remove large trees." Public Works Director Bill Covell said brush pickup typically takes about a day and a half to complete and reported the city dump is currently full and cannot be burned until winter. Covell said the public works department coordinates with the Park District and county to remove brush but noted a few residents had "abused the program."
Council members discussed options including charging a service fee for larger loads or investing in a chipper; Covell said operating a chipper would require two to three people and several days to process large volumes. Council Member Melanie Cozzi suggested the Sustainability Committee review proposals before council action. No formal motion was made at this meeting.
