Bluffton public works department asks leaf rakers for some patience.

The village 30-plus-year-old machine is showing its age and continues to suffer from breakdowns.

"The public works department continues to make repairs when needed but this has hindered our progress," Bryan Lloyd, assistant village administrator, told The Icon this morning.

"We are hopeful the machine is back in service this morning. Once back in operation the PWD main focus will be leaf pick up, removing leaves town wide.

"To help expedite the process and minimize down time the village continues to request residents to place leaves in long narrow rows keeping them free of sticks and other yard waste," he said.

"We understand this is not ideal and apologize for the inconvenience.