Across the board burn ban maintained despite vocal opposition

Despite a crowd in favor of burning, a motion to designate a weekend in April and October to burn yard waste, garden refuse and tall grasses died during a public health committee meeting in La Salle.

Alderman Jim Bacidore made the motion to amend the city’s no burn ban policy and wrote a letter to the editor urging supporters of burning to show up at Monday night’s meeting. A crowd of more than 20, mainly older men, became raucous at times whenever an alderman said they heard from mainly people in support of the burn ban or that there were alternatives to burning like bagging waste and leaves or using the city’s leaf vac trucks.

Bacidore argued that it was only two weekends a year and that some older people can’t afford to pay for bags and city stickers to get rid of waste. Boo Herndon was the only other member of the council in favor of burn weekends. He went as far as to suggest the idea up for a vote next year as part of an election referendum.