LAIC Industrial Park Violates Madison Mowing Ordinance

Nobody mows 'til Dwaine Chapel mows!

Last summer I had fun teasing the city for not following its own six-inch-grass rule. Now that the city has imposed a $200 fine for lazy lawnmowers, we can expect neat, well-trimmed grass everywhere to maintain our city's image, right?

Not in the industrial park owned by the Lake Area Improvement Corporation. An eager reader says he found excessively altitudinous verdure near the gateway to our fair city. The Madville Times mobile unit sprang into action to confirm this stunning news. Sure enough:
I brought my Mayor Hexom ruler and found this grass in LAIC land south of the bike trail clearly violating the six-inch rule.

Likewise these wild miscreant sunflowers, dwarfing my modest ruler near a bike trail intersection.
If Mayor Hexom comes a-measuring your grass, try this: mow just a swath or two along each side of your sidewalk, and tell the mayor, "See? Good enough for the bike trail, good enough for my yard, right?"
But hey, why should we complain about these tall weeds in the industrial park? The LAIC needs those sunflowers: they serve as natural, compostable bike racks for all the cyclists who come to survey the property for their economic development plans. Brilliant!

Now I didn't catch an exception in new mowing ordinance for commercial property. So let's see how long it takes for LAIC to call Madison Arborcare and chop those weeds... or for Chief Pulford to issue the LAIC a ticket.

Notes from Tonight's City Commission Agenda: LAIC Handout, Vote Question, Sidewalks, Beavers, and Bugs!

I'm perusing the Madison City Commission agenda packet for tonight's meeting, at which Dwaine Chapel will ask the city for yet another zero-accountability handout for the Lake Area Improvement Corporation. The agenda packet doesn't even include a letter from the LAIC indicating how much of our tax dollars they might ask for, or for what purposes. Wouldn't want to much information getting out to the public, would we, LAIC?

I notice a slight discrepancy in the minutes from last week's meeting: the minutes report (on page 16 of the 36-page agenda packet) that the vote to hand out $125K to cover James River Equipment's Highway 34 turning lane was unanimous. However, the Madison Daily Leader reported the vote was 4–1, with Nick Abraham dissenting (perhaps on faulty geographic reasoning, but so be it).

So which is it? Nick, did you vote no or not?

Also of interest are the packet of letters from residents requesting extensions on their sidewalk installation deadlines. Most refer to complications with lining up a contractor. One handwritten note, however, makes a rather more pointed argument. I transcribe verbatim from page 32 of the agena packet:

To whoever it may concern:

Could we please get an extension on our sidewalk? I am employed by Gehl Co.—only working 6 days per month. Our funds can't handle it now. Such a project right now with the economy and Gehl employees.

David Anderson

Perhaps the city will be as generous with Mr. Anderson as they are with the LAIC and big business.

Randy Schaefer is also among the folks requesting a little more time to install that darn sidewalk. He appears indirectly a second time in the minutes: his Silver Creek Circle development is among five miscreant properties listed in the mayor's report (page 36) as having tall grass and weeds. Great Scotts! Cut the guy a break—he's boning up on all those messy Regents issues.

Someone also complained to the mayor about the need for some more mowing along the bike trail. Good work, kids! A while back, I did see what appeared to be a private citizen taking matters into his own hands and mowing along the trail towards its eatern terminus. He even had the courtesy to go back over the trail with his rider mower and blow the grass off the pavement. Nice!

Also in the mayor's report: complaints about a horse in the yard on Northwest 6th Street, beaver activity on Silver Creek, and (today's piéce de resistance) bug bites at a motel. It must be fun to be mayor.

Madison Mayor Mobilizes Mowing Militia, Mitigates Mess

In other commission notes, I am amused to read through the agenda packet and find our own Mayor Gene Hexom's report on his June activities (see page 11 of tonight's agenda packet). Among the highlights: this month's complaints and concerns:

With a mobilization of city resources that big, I'm suprised they didn't blow the sirens while they were at it. Good thing occasional non-lawn-mower Joe Bartmann is safe in Montrose; he might have ended up in jail here.

Notice that no such mobilization has yet been mounted to pave South Grant and Madison's other quaint gravel streets. Priorities, anyone?

If 6.1-inch grass is the biggest thing we have to complain about, well, Madison must be just like living in Paradise!