Blowing in the wind

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

July 08, 2008 07:55 pm

— GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — They grow tall, blow in the wind and obstruct an otherwise pristine view of Lake Erie.
Weeds and tall grass were the focus of Monday’s village council meeting, as councilmen Don “Woody” Woodward and Steve Cervas argued over the best weapon to fell the perennial nuisances: Paper or scissors?
Two years ago, council decided to stop mowing the weeds and tall grass along routes 531 and 534, shifting that responsibility to the property owners along the roads. Since then the weeds have gone uncut in spots, creating an unsightly and potentially dangerous situation, Woodward said.
“I think this is something the village should take care of,” Woodward said. “We give less and less services and ask more and more of the people. For 40 years we have cut this grass and now are we honestly going to ask people to stand out on these busy state routes and cut the grass?”
Cervas, who motioned to table the grass-cutting ordinance, argued that the village’s commitment to ordinance adherence calls for administrative action.
“That is why we cite people who aren’t cutting the grass on their property,” he said.
Woodward said using trees to cut grass doesn’t make sense.
“Administratively it is a nightmare to go out there and look at the grass, decide it is too high, send a certified letter to the property owner and then follow up,” he said. “Just go out and cut the grass!”
Woodward also said townships cut the right of ways along state routes, though Cervas said townships are bound by law to keep it mowed.
“The idea is to make the village look nice. Just because we aren’t required by law (to cut the weeds) doesn’t me we shouldn’t do this,” he said.
Councilman Mike Baker motioned to amend the ordinance and council voted to contract out the landscaping work using money from the state highway fund.
“To be clear,” the mayor said, “this only applies to the state road right of ways. It is up to the property owners to cut all other right of ways.”