Leesburg Town Council President Christina Archer reviews information at Monday night’s council meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

LEESBURG —  At the Leesburg Town Council meeting held Monday, May 8, Street Commissioner Craig Charlton said several ordinance warnings were issued related to residents mowing grass into the streets.

“While it seems like a small issue, it does cause a problem with our drains,” Charlton said.

Leesburg Street Commissioner Craig Charlton.  InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels

Grass clippings can result in clogged drains, flooding and contaminated waterways. For these reasons, fines can be imposed on residents who fail to follow town ordinances regarding yard waste regulations. Grass clippings blown into the street can also create hazardous conditions for drivers, motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Intentionally blowing or leaving grass clippings on the street is illegal in most municipalities.

“On Prairie Street, I noticed there were some big issues,” Council President Christina Archer said. “I would not like to see all that going down into our storm sewer.”

“It causes even more of a problem when it backs up,” Charlton said, “ It’ll run into their basements.”

Leesburg ordinance 93.22 addresses “materials on street or sidewalk” as follows:

(A)  No person shall encumber any street or sidewalk. No owner, occupant or person having the care of any building or lot of land, bordering on any street or sidewalk, shall permit it to be encumbered with barrels, boxes, cans, articles or substances of any kind as so to interfere with the free and unobstructed use thereof.

(B)  No owner, occupant or person having the care of any building, lot of land, bordering on any street or sidewalk shall permit or cause yard waste including, but not limited to, grass and leaves, to be placed on any street or sidewalk.

Charlton said he has given out six notices, copies of the ordinance and yellow tags that state the next time this violation occurs, there will be a $50 fine. 

In another matter, dates were set for the town garage sale and town cleanup.

The 2023 Leesburg town garage sale will be held Friday, June 9, and Saturday, June 10.

Town cleanup days for 2023 will be Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24. 

Ben Logan, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County, attended the meeting to introduce himself and inform Leesburg Town Council of two projects currently taking place in Claypool.

The town of Claypool took possession of homes that were “no longer of use for people,” tore them down and then donated the land to Habitat for Humanity. 

Logan said Habitat for Humanity is now building two single-family homes on that land.

“I just want to let all the small town governments and everyone involved know that if you ever find yourself in that situation, usually because the house was not taken care of and is just no longer really of use, we would love to be a part of that conversation,” Logan said. “Just wanted to let everyone know that was an option in case you find yourself in that situation.”

“We don’t really have available properties right now,” Archer said, “But we’re glad to make the contact anyway and we don’t know what will happen in the future, so it’s good to know that option is out there.”

Archer said she is thankful for the work Habitat for Humanity is doing for the communities in our county.

Town officials would like to remind residents of the following; no parking on any street between 3-5 a.m. This applies every day of the week, including weekends; no burning anything, any time; please be mindful of what you flush.

In other news:

• The town Memorial Day Parade will take place  Monday, May 29. The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m., with lineup downtown at 10:15 a.m. Parade route will be south on Pearl Street, then west on Prairie Street to the cemetery. A memorial service will be held at the cemetery following the parade. 
• Archer announced that the town is hoping to have a preview of their historical museum from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 28.
• Derek Tenney of Tenney & Sons Inc. provided a monthly sanitary sewer report. Tenney announced that starting next week, technicians will be in the area doing checks of utility boxes at properties in Leesburg.
• The next regular meeting is 6:30 p.m. June 12.

From left, Attorney Nick Jacobs and Leesburg Councilman Mitch Rader at Monday night’s meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels