Borough Looks to Hasten Leaf Pickup

The Borough is looking to improve its leaf collection operation by purchasing an automated leaf truck.

The Council voted to purchase a 2012 International Model 7500 truck for $233,533 at their Tuesday work session.

The new truck will be manned by one worker, and can vacuum, shred and compact leaves in the field, collecting more leaves faster, Borough Administrator Joseph D'Arco said. The Borough's current equipment requires three workers to go out with each truck, one of whom works on the road, raking leaves.

D'Arco said the truck would cut down on the number of workers and amount of equipment dedicated to leaf collection. The SFA will be the first automated leaf truck in the Borough fleet.

"They're very efficient," said Public Works Superintendent Guy Picone. "They're safe, they don't have anybody out in the road raking leaves."

The Borough last year, as piles lingered on some streets as late as December. Former Mayor James Tedesco ordered employees to work overtime to finish the job.

The new truck should help, Picone said. Picone has ordered a number of modifications to the original SFA chassis to make it usable year-round.

Normally, the truck comes with a permanently mounted leaf vacuum, but the Paramus truck will have a removable vacuum that can be switched out with winter equipment like a salt spreader or a lift for garbage or recyclables. While the modifications pushed the normal $140,000 to $160,000 price of the truck higher, they will allow Picone to use the truck for the nine months of the year when there aren't leaves on the ground.

The leaf truck purchase is among $1.9 million in improvements the Borough Council .

"It's about making it more efficient," D'Arco said. "Being able to do what we do faster and more efficiently and with a cost savings."