The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to fall. While the arrival of fall may catch some of you by surprise, it has not gotten past the watchful eye of our village Department of Public Works Superintendent Fred Zamparelle. Fred and his staff have been diligently preparing the leaf collecting and other equipment that will be needed for the fall and winter seasons. The leaf removal program will be starting next week. His department has also been continuing the extensive cleanup and repairs at the Eastern Parkway facility. The remarkable turnaround is certainly noticeable. He has reclaimed the overgrown areas and turned them into clean, well-organized storage areas. The village's equipment and supplies are now neatly inventoried and maintenance schedules set and followed.

Fred is habitually looking for ways to improve the department's efficiency and provide more services while reducing or maintaining operating costs. An excellent example is the new free wood chips program. Farmingdale community residents can now pick up free wood chips at the Eastern Parkway facility between 8 a.m.- noon, on the following Saturdays: Oct. 15, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29.

In the past, trees and brush that had been removed during the previous year were carted away at an extra expense to the village. This year, the trees and brush have been turned into wood chips eliminating the cost of removal while providing them free of charge to residents. Details on the program will be announced shortly and will be posted on the village web site at www.farmingdalevillage.org.

As the leaves begin to fall, please remember to drive carefully and always watch out for children playing in the leaf piles.