CLEVELAND — Despite announcing the upcoming curbside leaf pickup program last week that was set to start on Nov. 8, the City of Cleveland has decided to cancel it before it kicked off.
The decision, made by the Bibb administration, has already prompted angry residents to reach out to their ward representatives, city council members said in email.
Ward 2 Councilman Kevin Bishop, who is the chair of the Council's municipal services, said residents previously voted to increase services that included leaf pickup, among other services.
“We allocated money, and residents voted for an increase in income taxes, specifically to ensure that services such as leaf pickup continue and were actually expanded throughout the city,” Bishop said.
Specifically, residents voted six years ago for Issue 32 which increased income taxes to provide additional services such as on-time snow plowing and leaf pickup continued each year.
The councilman said he will hold a hearing to "understand why Mayor Bibb is reducing resident services." The hearing date is tentatively set for Monday.
In the meantime, the city has asked residents to bag their leaves since they won't be picked up now.
City council pointed out this comes after many residents already raked their lawns and gathered their leaves into piles for collection ahead of what would have been the start of the program next week.
Cleveland homeowners who live on Martin Luther King Drive like Timothy Powell and Willie Horton told News 5 they were stunned by the last minute announcement to cancel curbside leaf pick-up.
"This happened all of a sudden, they should have told us months ago if they wanted to make a change like that, Powell said. “You know I could have been bagging it up already, but now since it’s all piled all up, that’s going to be at least 20 to 30 bags out there.”
Horton believes the city is taking away services that taxpayers paid for, especially after Cleveland residents approved the city income tax hike in 2016.
“People might not have the money to buy the bags, that’s why we pay our tax money so the city can do what they’re supposed to do," Horton said. “Do the right thing, you know, you don’t pull the plug like that, we need the trucks around here to pick up the leaves and stuff up and they’re still falling.”
Council President Blaine Griffin said he was told the decision was made by the city due to "capacity."
"Many people were looking forward to this service. Council has already received calls from angry constituents," Griffin said.
As of 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, the city's web page showing the start of the leaf pickup program next week has not been taken down or updated.
According to a news release from the city, Cleveland will collect leaves but they have to be bagged up instead of being raked to the tree lawn like it was announced last week.
The change was done to make leaf collection "more fair and equitable to all residents who pay taxes," the city said. The city said the change will also include the removal of the 20 bag limit for all households. Homeowners will now be able to have an unlimited number of leaf bags placed in front of their homes for their weekly garbage pick-up.
Below is the new leaf collection FAQ provided by the city:
Why is the City ending the leaf pick-up program?
The City is making changes to the seasonal leaf pick-up program to make it more fair and equitable for all residents. Residents will still have their leaves collected but must bag them instead of raking to the tree lawn.
Who will be impacted by these changes?
Residents living in high-generation areas are impacted by these changes. See map here.
How many bags are allowed to be set out each week?
Residents are permitted to set out an unlimited number of bagged leaves in their yards, which will be collected with trash effective Nov. 1, 2022.
What happens if my neighbors are raking leaves into the street?
Do not rake leaves onto the street, this will cause more problems than it solves. Leaves raked onto the street result in blockages in the sewers and problems in the snow.
I pay my taxes and I want my leaves picked up. Why are you taking services away?
The seasonal pick-up program has changed to make it more fair and equitable for all residents who pay taxes. Now, our message to all residents is the same: if you want your leaves picked up, bag them and set the bags out on your designated waste collection day.
What am I supposed to do now?
The City recommends bagging your leaves for collection or mowing over the leaves and using them as mulch.
Who else can I talk to?
You can call the City’s non-emergency hotline by dialing 3-1-1 or submit a complaint to the Office of the Mayor at mayor.clevelandohio.gov/contact.
Dos and Don’ts for residents:
Do bag your leaves and set it out for collection on your designated waste day.
- Do mow over the leaves and use them as mulch or start composting.
- Don’t rake leaves onto the tree-lawn, they will not be collected.
- Don’t rake leaves onto the street, they will cause blockages in the sewers and problems in the snow.
RELATED: Cleveland's seasonal leaf pick-up program starts soon
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