Montgomery Leaf Collection Program Has Begun
Leaf Vac Picture
The cooler fall weather has arrived in our area, and the leaves are vibrant. The Village of Montgomery Public Works Department began its Village Leaf Collection Program for the season and will continue collecting leaves curbside through Friday, November 22.

Residents of Montgomery have three options for disposing of their leaves during the fall season.

The Village Leaf Collection Program will occur the weeks of October 28, and November 4, 11, and 18. Residents can rake leaves up to 5ft from the curb and not into the street for pick up by the Public Works Leaf Collection Truck. The crew will begin to pick up on Monday and continue until they have made one pass through the Village. As a reminder, leaves must be in place by 7A on Monday of collection week. The piles will be vacuumed up as the crews pass through the Village. Any leaves piled near an obstruction or obstructed by a parked vehicle will be skipped.
The Village refuse hauler, LRS Recycling, will provide bagged leaf pickup at no charge to residents on their regularly scheduled collection days for two weeks in the month of November. November 11-22, 2024 residents can put out unlimited yard waste bags without stickers and LRS will collect them at no additional charge. Outside these two free weeks, stickers are required on all yard waste bags and bundled brush collected by LRS.
For those who prefer to avoid raking or collecting leaves, several online sources explain why mulching leaves with your lawnmower may be better than raking. Various websites share information on properly mulching leaves, including setting your mower to three inches and cutting pieces until they are about a dime size. It may require multiple passes through your yard to achieve the desired size for the leaves to decompose and fertilize your lawn correctly.
Please remember that the Village ordinance prohibits leaf burning, and is not allowed at any time. Leaves that fall after the final week of pickup or are not appropriately collected and on time for Village disposal are the property owner's responsibility.

The Village of Montgomery encourages residents to take a proactive approach to leaf collection due to the small window of opportunity to collect the leaves from when the leaves fall to when winter weather begins. The Village Streets Team will quickly transition trucks and equipment from leaf collection to snow removal to prepare for snow-clearing procedures; in addition to equipment transition, landfills and state-mandated leaf dumping sites close on or about December 1 annually, which halts municipal leaf programs earlier than preferred, where unseasonable weather extends the time frame for leaf fall.

To learn more about the Village of Montgomery leaf collection, visit montgomeryil.org/168/Leaf-Collection.