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Clinton enforcing leaf burning ban this spring
By Kevin Barlow
kbarlow@pantagraph.com
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NEW 11:45 a.m. CLINTON -- Mayor Ed Wollet doesn’t mind the aroma from a pile of burning leaves. He’s used to smelling it every fall and early spring as Clinton residents burn off the effects of the previous growing season.

But now, the smell means someone is breaking a ban that went into effect last winter.

The Police Department enforces the ban and responds to a handful of complaints on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Before the ban, residents were allowed to burn leaves on those days.

“Right now, we are just reminding folks that there is a burn ban in place,” Wollet said. “At this point, it’s just a reminder. But at some point, it will be enforced and tickets will be issued.”

The fine is $25 per violation.

A leaf vacuum machine, which travels through the city for leaf pick-up, does not operate in the spring. Instead, residents can put leaves in a bag and call City Hall or the Street Department to have the bags picked up.

Leaves will not be picked up if they are not bagged.

“It is going to be interesting to see how busy that leaf vacuum is going to be in the fall when the burn ban will have more impact,” Commissioner Bryan Hickman said. “We may have to redesign the routes or make some adjustments if it is not getting to everything in time.”

The spring city-wide clean-up day will be 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. May 3.

“There will be no changes and everything should work the way it has in the past,” Hickman said.

The city will not provide curbside pick-up, but residents can drop off items at the yard-waste facility, 700 E. Jemima St., next to Wallace baseball fields. Area Disposal will deliver large roll-off containers to the site and empty them as needed.

City workers will monitor the site and provide assistance if needed. Residents who want to use the drop-off site will need to show proof of address, such as a driver’s license, and register with site personnel.

Items that cannot be accepted are household garbage, batteries, tires, used oil, liquid chemicals, paint, asbestos products, hazardous waste of any kind, broken concrete, appliances such as air conditioners and water heaters, shingles, roofing materials and asphalt siding.

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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

michelle24 wrote on Apr 22, 2008 7:08 AM:

" Let me explain my reasons, JD... Lots of people, young and old don't breath so well with asthma, and other ailments, and sometimes people tend to burn on the windiest days possible, which turns into uncontrollable burns. Common sense to me for the banning, respect and not to have fields burn down, or worse. "

The Original JD wrote on Apr 21, 2008 5:03 PM:

" So let's see. So far we have banned smoking in public places, transfats in schools, leaf burning, and are trying to ban flavored tobacco to 'protect the kids'. I move that the next items in the agenda be coffee (caffine is a drug), alcohol (drug), the majority of sodas (drugs), red meat (carcinogens), fossil fuels (carcinogens & pollution), the color red (shown to create an agreesive nature), and the number 6 (because I do not like it, so it must be bad). "

michelle24 wrote on Apr 21, 2008 2:15 PM:

" Yep, I'm with ya Betty, and add another zero when they break it the 2nd time. "

betty_blast wrote on Apr 21, 2008 1:17 PM:

" Like that fine is going to deter anyone from burning...should have added a zero to the end of that. "
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