November 9, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • Page 11 The Midland Park Borough Council does not have in mind to consider a leaf ordinance, at least not for now. Borough Administrator/Clerk Addie Hanna said that a resident had requested an ordinance be adopted prohibiting property owners from raking leaves onto the street in front of someone else’s yard. “Neighbors should make allowances. More laws are not the answer,” commented Councilman Bernie Holst after a spirited debate at a recent meeting of the mayor and council. “Let’s look at the history. We don’t have too many problems now with the leaf pickups,” he added. Holst, the council’s DPW liaison, said it’s easier for the DPW to collect the leaves from the street. Hanna explained that the complainant’s No leaf collection rule changes expected, for now neighbor does not have an open area in front of his own house, so he places them in front of his property. The complainant has a landscaper remove his own leaves, only to have his yard covered when the wind blows the neighbor’s leaves in. Councilwoman Nancy Peet said the same premise should be followed for leaves as for snow, which may not be shoveled onto the street. But Holst pointed out that if leaves are left at the curb by the homeowner, either on the sidewalk or on the resident’s property, someone, presumably DPW personnel, would then have to rake them on to the street to be collected. Peet also suggested that yellow plastic fencing could be used to contain the leaves from flying back onto the front yard. Resident Nancy Bargmann said she has to dump her leaves for pick up across the street from her Franklin Avenue home because leaving them in front of her house would totally disrupt traffic on the narrow through road. Mayor Joseph Monahan suggested that DPW Foreman Rudy Gnehm be asked his perspective on the request before any decision is made. Curbside collection of loose or bagged leaves will continue through Dec. 18, with each district collected three times, ending with District 3. According to the current practice set forth in the borough’s newsletter, leaves must be left at the curb or edge of roadway no later than the night before collection begins in that district, but no longer than seven days prior. Fall Story Time at the Midland Park Public Library’s Children’s Room begins Nov. 9. Programs include Toddler Story Time, which will be held on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. through Dec. 14, and Preschool Story Time, which is set for Thursdays at either 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. from Nov. 10 through Dec. 15. Story Times are developmentally appropriate and encourage children to interact with books and express their creativity through open-ended craft activities. A variety of music, movement activities, and Library sets story times learning games will be incorporated. The children’s room was expanded as part of the library renovations completed in June, which resulted in a 15 percent increase in overall library usage. This summer, 149 children finished the library’s reading program and 77 children received Summer Reading Stars for finishing the school’s summer reading program in collaboration with the library. The Midland Park Memorial Library is located at 250 Godwin Avenue. Call (201) 444-2390 for more information.