Residents Angry about Lack of Leaf Pick Up
JACKSON, Tenn.- Residents in Jackson said they are outraged because the leaves are piling up in several neighborhoods, and causing hazards in the streets. “Disaster, dangerous. Because anybody can come by and throw a cigarette butt around all them houses,” said Resident Brenda McKinney. “It makes the neighborhood look bad it really do.” According to the Jackson Department of Health and Sanitation, the clean up is a city service. There are at least five leaf truck crews sweeping the city streets every weekday. Residents told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News that it was the less-traveled side streets that are getting overlooked. “Besides the main streets, streets like these, the city doesn’t really pay them any attention,” said resident Montreal Thompson. McKinney said some side roads are so covered, it is hard to tell where the street ends and the ditch begins. “When it rains, the drains stop up. The leaves stop the drains up and mess up the driveway here. Leaves are just all blocked up everywhere,” said McKinney. City officials said they are working as fast as they can but said it is hard to keep up with the falling leaves. The city is divided into 26 sections. The trucks start off in different areas and clean a new route each day. “Lots and lots and lots of leaves,” said Resident Harold Lyles. “If they pick all of them up they will fill a good dump truck.” At this rate officials said it could take at least two to three weeks to clean up the city. Residents said they doubt the clean up crews are coming at all. “No, they don’t come pick them up every three weeks. If we don’t rake them, they just pile up,” said Thompson. “I’m just going off what I see everyday. I don’t see anybody pick up leaves so I don’t think they are coming.” If you want your leaves picked up, officials said they must be swept, raked or bagged about a foot from the curb at least 6-8 feet back. If you do know of an area where the leaves are creating a hazard in the street for drivers, call the city’s Hot Line service at (731) 425-2489.
