CITY LEAF PROGRAM TO START

Cape Girardeau residents will get curb service for their leaves again this fall.

The city begins its annual leaf program on Monday, vacuuming leaves from the edges of lawns until Dec. 20. Last year, workers collected more than 820 tons of leaves from local lawns.

Street Supervisor Harry Salazar said the program was unique for cities the size of Cape Girardeau. Many larger cities require residents to bag their own leaves and take them to a drop-off site. Cape Girardeau residents can do so, but the pickup service is simpler.

Salazar said the city has been picking up leaves since before he came to work here nine years ago. Today, 90 percent of citizens participate in the program.

"It's better if residents rake their leaves to the curb -- not into the street -- well in advance of their pickup date," Salazar said. "Don't wait until you see us coming down the street to rake your leaves."

The city has three leaf vacuums, and the oldest is only two years old. In addition, a Sweepmaster machine collects leaves out of the street and deposits them in a dump truck. That means four leaf-related machines will be in each of six zones for a week at a time.

The collected leaves are either composted on various city properties or dumped on farmers' fields to be tilled into the ground.

Salazar warned residents not to burn leaves in the street. Somebody did so last year, then covered the burned leaves with fresh. A fire started in the Sweepmaster after it vacuumed the hot leaves.

Those who want to drop off their own leaves may take them to the city's collection site in the 1400 block of South West End Boulevard. The composting area is open from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 334-9151.