From the Email Inbox: Weeds on City and Jacobsen Property

Dear Gramps:

Has anyone noticed that the fields on Barton Road are not properly tilled and maintained for weeds. The backside of the "Barton Road Project" is a sight not to behold. While the city is so busy poking their noses into the private lives of the citizens and finding more ways to control and fine their life styles with in the City, they are not tending their own business. I have noticed that the Stringfield property is always maintained. Perhaps they could hire her gardner. The citizens would greatly appreciate some attention to this detail.

Gramps Reply:

Well, I'll post this and knowing that the City Hall has Blog Readers we can hope they will pick up on this observation. However, you are right in observing that code enforcement like zoning is applied to some and not others. Businesses owned by Friends of Council and City Hall are not nit picked out of business, while others are given the pitchfork treatment.

If Jo Strinfield had a weed out of place she'd be declared in violation of a code right and left and if not corrected in time no doubt the city would leap at the opportunity to declare her property a problem of one sort or another as a means to take her property.

Recall the case of Larry Halstead years ago. Now sits an empty weedy lot where a nice garden and house used to exist. Sure the action of the city improved the view of the people who live across the street, they now can see the river and valley. Larry has started a new life out of town. The city management only gained a new method of threatening citizens.

How many of the former owners of the Barton Rd Property were given Weed Code Violation Warnings along with the treats of condemnation, and the use of Eminent Domain to take their property. Interesting bag of tools the City Manager has been provided.

Need we be reminded... FIRE WORKS and FIRE SEASON start in the same season.