More than three weeks ago I put the fallen leaves exactly where the city asked, and they're still there, untouched. There oughta be an ordinance.

Good thing I have a councilman living two doors down.

On September 27, NA Confidential performed an invaluable public service by reminding you of the proper way of dealing with fallen leaves: Don't say I didn't remind you of the leaf sucking protocol for 2019.

Short version: If you want your leaves sucked, keep them out of the curbs, gutters and streets, or else ... absolutely nothing will happen to you.

Now, can I get the leaves sucked in front of my house, or did we sacrifice availability to street department services by pointing out that the mayor is a loser no matter how often he wins?

Dynamic Duo resumes control of New Albany city council, Boy Wonder plots next move, and the rest of us drink straight through.

Just some honest horse trading, Shane.

I suppose someone's got to do it, so here is coverage of Thursday evening's city council meeting.

A rumored seismic shift in the council's power base failed to materialize, as indie swing voters played the game the way the game is meant to be played, and extracted their minimum yearly requirement of tasty nutrients from the Dear Leader.

Accordingly, Pat McLaughlin was re-elected to the position of Council President for Life, defeating Al Knable 6 to 3, with Knable's votes coming from GOP council block.

The vote to re-elect Greg Phipps as Vice President was 5 to 3 over David Barksdale, with Scott Blair abstaining.

Local Democratic Party chairman Adam Dickey was in attendance, furiously compiling Mickey Mouse Mash Notes in preparation for his 2018 Indiana House challenge to Ed Clere. By that time, Mayor Gahan should have finished folding Democrats into municipal government as Legally Contracted Janitorial Services for Redevelopment -- though Redevelopment itself is about to double as the New Albany Housing Authority's captive board. More on that next week.

To reiterate, the ideal site for Jeff Gahan Presents New Albany City FC is ready and waiting for the TIF-fueled bulldozers.

Finally, as council was reminded by a Navajo Drive resident who correctly divined that not a single elected or appointed member in New Albany Government Inc. can quote the exact mandated procedure, FOR GOD'S SAKE PICK UP YOUR LEAVES PEOPLE.

The meeting adjourned before 7:30 p.m., and martinis -- only those necessary to cope -- began flowing.

Our Civic Duty Department: "New Albany's Leaf Removal Service is Underway."

I've pasted the following from the city's web site. My interpretation as a downtown neighborhood dweller is to shift leaves onto the street where cars normally park (but not blocking the bike lane on Spring), so as to block cars from parking there, thus encouraging the city to suck up the leaves. 

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New Albany's Leaf Removal Service is Underway

This year, Mother Nature has given Southern Indiana quite a spectacle of fall colors popping up among the trees. While the colors are a feast for the eye, the leaves do not have the same appeal on the ground.

The City of New Albany will help clean up the leaf mess between now and December 10 with its annual leaf removal service, sending its leaf removal equipment to the streets. Not only is this a convenience to homeowners, it’s beneficial to the city. Joe Ham, the city’s Storm Water Director, pointed out that leaf debris leads to slippery roads and localized flooding.

"It has the same impact as trash. It washes to the lowest point and causes the flooding," said Ham. If not removed, leaves become clogged in inlet pipes, culverts and catch basins, and cause a big - and sometimes dangerous - mess.

It's up to the homeowner to prepare the leaves for pickup because the city will not rake the yards or sweep driveways. However, the city will pick up bagged or loose leaves during this two month period.

"It is important to pick it up. The most important part is the homeowner to be aware that during this two month period we need them to get the leaves out," said Ham.

The leaf pickup will occur within the city limits, and that includes Silver Hills, the Green Valley Road area and the Charlestown Road Corridor. The city's goal is to reach each neighborhood twice during the five weeks, or more in areas that are densely populated by trees. Ham explained that the leaf equipment will follow the street cleaner routes and after October 31, the street cleaners will follow the leaf equipment in order to assist with the cleanup. However, there will not be parking restrictions after October 31.

"If you want us to get to the leaves, please allow some type of access," said Ham. He explained that if the homeowner has loose leaves, they must park their cars away from the leaf piles to allow the equipment to pick up the debris.

Ham said that the leaf cleaners will attempt to follow the garbage collection schedule, depending on the weather. For example, there will not be pick up following a heavy rain, but after a slight drizzle of rain pick up will likely occur.

For more information call 945-1989.