The snow is finally gone from most if not all yards in the St. Cloud area.  St. Cloud Assistant Public Works Director Dan Legatt joined me on WJON.  He suggests that residents pick up stick and twigs from their yards but to be cautions to not get too aggressive so they don't damage the grass as it come back from dormancy.

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Legatt says it should be fine for residents to gather leftover leaves from last fall and put them into the clear yard waste bags.  He says residents should bundle the twigs and sticks together, tie it with twine or light string, and make sure the bundle is no bigger than 12 inches in diameter and under 4 feet long.  Legatt says the reason for this is the crews have to place them in the truck.  He says the fee is tying a yard waste bag to the bundle.  Legatt says staff will either take the bag off or dispose of it.  He says it is important to tie the twigs and sticks together because they get pulled off the compost site pile by staff and the bundles allow for easier mobility.  The brush piles ultimately get put in the chipper. Legatt indicates the brush is composted separately from grass the leaves.

Legatt indicates the St. Cloud compost site services Benton, Stearns and Sherburne Counties and has been receiving lots of brush over the past few weeks.  Because of the spread of Emerald Ash Borer Legatt says each county needs to be under quarantine for them to accept brush from that county and Benton is currently under quarantine.  He says mulch is not available for residents using the compost site due to concerns over invasive species.  Legatt says they do offer nutrient rich black dirt.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Dan Legatt it is available below.

 

 

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