Proposed Curbside Leaf Pick-Up Program Will Not Transpire

The will not be happening this fall.

The proposal gave Manalapan residents the option to place their fall leaves on the curb in front of their home and then pay for a vacuum truck to come by and pick up the leaves. Green, who submitted this proposal in April, asked the Township Committee to look into private landscaping companies or other municipalities who  use curbside leaf pick-up to partner up with for the fall.

The Township Committee created a Request for Proposal (RFP) and went out to bid so that the municipalities or landscaping companies interested in teaming up with the township can submit a proposal detailing the price of the leaf pick-up services.

“We did everything possible to publicize this RFP,” Green said at the last Township Committee meeting. “The RFP was sent to all the municipalities that border Manalapan, it was sent to our Monmouth County government, and it was sent to three professional landscape associations for distribution to their members state-wide.”

After all of this effort, only one proposal was submitted. A private landscaping company headquartered in Bergen County submitted a proposal to the township, but the municipal professionals determined that the company does not have the resources to handle the demand of a leaf pick-up program in Manalapan, according to Green.

Consequently, the curbside vacuum leaf pick-up program will not be implemented for this fall. Residents will continue to place their leaves in biodegradable bags and put them at the curb to be picked up by the Department of Public Works on specified dates throughout the fall.

Although Green’s proposal did not work out the way he had hoped, the Committeeman was happy that he had the support of the Township Committee and thankful to the administrators for their hard work on the proposal.

“We cannot shy away from exploring new, innovative ideas to save money, generate revenue, and enhance services for our residents,” Green said. “While every idea might not succeed, we must continue to think outside the box and take the Township in new directions.”