It’s a local problem that’s never gone away. And Watseka resident Merrill Crowley is not going to let it go away.

Burning yard waste is a service that has to be dealt with, yet a City Ordinance designed to control burning, too often, is ignored. And the City itself, violates its own efforts to control the burning and protect local citizens.

Crowley addressed the Watseka City Council (Tuesday), citing City Ordinance 2093 fining people up to $500 for improper burning. Burning yard debris is only allowed on certain days ( 1st weekend of the month), while common sense only seems to reason when prevailing winds carry that smoke into neighborhoods – posing serious health concerns for too many people.

And the Watseka burn site (on South 2nd Street) just compounds the smoke issue with prevailing south winds that finds smoke blanketing much of Watseka’s southern areas………

Crowley suggests moving the yard waste facility to the north side, where that usual south wind wouldn’t pose so many limited-days for burning. He also suggested an Air Burner (equipment that pumps air to feed the fire to prevent all that smoke). That equipment, however, Council members said, was pretty expensive. Crowley is welcoming efforts to reach out to other state agencies to see if grant money would be helpful………..

Alder-woman Jenny Musk has stepped in to offer Crowley help in investigating whether grant monies are out there ? Mayor John Allhands is in favor of the approach.  He said the burn site is needed and options will be considered to curb the smoke problem, that the Mayor says, has been an issue for years. 

94.1 WGFA