City Service Director Pat McNamara said his crews still are working to get caught up on leaf collection following early November’s stormy weather. McNamara thanked residents for their patience.

The service department is still working to collect and remove trees that were toppled by superstorm Sandy. The cleanup put the crews behind in leaf collection.

“People are calling and they want to know when we’ll be at their house to pick up leaves,” he said. “I can’t give them a date because I honestly don’t know.”

McNamara also said that the city’s leaf collection machine isn’t equipped to handle branches or other yard waste that fell onto lawns during the storm. He asked homeowners to only pile leaves up at the edge of their property. He said he knows the storm brought frustrations for homeowners who already had raked neat leaf piles for collection and watched them swirl across lawns during the storm.

“It’s as frustrating for you as it is for us here at the Service Department,” he said.

McNamara said the city already has moved two full-time and other part-time parks department employees into the service department temporarily to assist with the leaf collection.

“That gives you an idea of the magnitude we’re dealing with,” he said.