WETHERSFIELD, Conn. -- Beginning this fall, homeowners who don’t pick up their own leaves if they're not on the curb in time for the vacuum truck face a $50 per day fine.

“The leaves stay all winter, and come springtime, they're in the neighbors’ yards, they're in the basins, and it's causing a real public safety issue, but we had no real clout before,” said town manager Bonnie Therrien. “We'll send a letter, and we'll outline that you have five days to pick it up, and if it isn't done, then we'll be going out, and you'll get the cost of whatever it is and the cost of our staff to go out there and clean them up.”

However, residents said, the leaves fall at their own pace. They said they don’t believe they have any other options if they don’t get the leaves to the curb in time for the vacuum truck.

“Where am I supposed to put the leaves?” asked resident Rocco Cristofaro. “I can't eat them. They should do something about that.”

“They should come and pick them up, because it's not our fault that the trees lose their leaves,” said Hector Rodriguez. “It's not our fault.”

Town officials said they don't want the revenue from the fines, they just want clean streets.

“We're hoping this will bring a lot of attention to people that even though we can't finish doing it, you have to finish getting the leaves off the roads and the sidewalks,” said Therrien.