Due to the time of the year, I am going to tie back into the use of Farm-Grade Chemicals or other measures to keep your weeds under control. On a nice day this week, The Wife and I decided to head down to the river by downtown St. Paul and use the convenient bike/walking paths. This of course is when I took the featured picture showing the Mississippi river and a horrendous amount uncontrolled dandelions, with many of the boulevards and smaller green areas containing little to actual no grass… only weeds.

Not only does it reflect poorly on the City of St. Paul, but it is indeed against their own rules with many of these weeds being much taller than the statute allotted 8 inches. Many of their codes aren’t enforced unless someone actually calls in and complains, so they are much less likely to take care of their own problems as they are to fine St. Paulites for not mowing or shoveling their walks. I am not sure why the City of St. Paul feels it doesn’t need to follow its own rules, whether it hasn’t hired on temporary summer workers, or that it’s mowing schedules don’t allow it to follow its own guidelines.

Do you think that it is a big deal when cities are handing out fines and tickets for an action or inaction then proceeds to overlook those actions when they happen internally? Do you think differently of cities that have well maintained public areas? Are you more concerned with appearance or cost?