La Grange Leaf Removal Program Defended

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange resident on Monday defended the village's longstanding curbside leaf removal program.

He spoke a couple of weeks after two trustees cast doubt on the program.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, resident Sterling Topol said the village should put any proposed elimination of the program to the voters in a referendum.

"I've been here over 40 years, and it's always been here," Topol said. "I strongly believe that this is something that maybe the residents should have input. A lot of people really rely on it."

The program, he said, is the most cost-effective way to remove large amounts of leaves.

Topol also noted concerns that leaves raked to the curb often end up in storm sewers. But he said leaves are going into those sewers whether the program exists or not.

Village President Mark Kuchler said he agreed with many of Topol's points.

"I think the trustees who did raise it were really raising it with the idea they wanted to hear residents' feedback," he said.

At a meeting in late August, the trustees voted to pay a company $72,000 to haul the leaves out of town. Village workers spend an estimated 800 hours a year collecting the leaves in the fall.

At the previous meeting, trustees Beth Augustine and Glenn Thompson spelled out their concerns with the program.