Sent in by Park Neighbor:
Just as referenced in the 8/24 CHPN posting by a Chimborazo Park neighbor, the careless City mowing crew has struck again. I posted a comment in that thread that Jefferson Park had also been “scalped”, leaving the grass so low it turned brown immediately after. In many places, if you lay your hand flat on the ground, the grass is only just higher than the top of it.
Yesterday, as I have done *MANY* times in the past, I very politely spoke with the gentleman operating the mowing “tractor”. I explained (again) that they were cutting the grass far, far too short. I told him of the chipped/scraped sidewalk edges, and of damage to Park trees and etc. Although he *seemed* to acquiesce & understand, he never raised his blades; proceeding to add insult to injury by chopping the lawn yet again.
Ironically enough, I drove past a City mowing crew adjusting &/or repairing the blades on an identical mowing tractor. Could it be they’d damaged the blades by letting them literally scrape the ground ??!
7 comments
Does anyone know how to check and see whether the city cut budget for mowing this year? Surely there must be some reason why they are mowing less and scalping like crazy when they do.
It feels like the goal here is to cut it so low that you can avoid cutting again for a long time but that’s going to backfire. Cut too low and kill off the good, leaving only the bad. Weeds grow faster than grass.
Powhatan park regularly has the same problem. “@chpn: Jefferson Park “scalped ” by City mowing crew http://t.co/85iSXIJsET”
RT @chpn: Jefferson Park “scalped ” by City mowing crew http://t.co/719ubi6gvw
I have heard that they are way behind because of the rainy summer. You can’t cut when the grass is wet and it grows faster because of the rain.
Byrd Park is not looking much better.
The city crew really has to be the worst landscaping team in the state. Maybe it’s their funding, but I can’t imagine a private firm costing so much to do such bad work.
Good luck in getting a city official to care or even to respond and fake caring. I tried contacting our council woman, her aide, public works, and even the mayors secretary. Each one of them was told that I represent a neighborhood group. And each one of them ignored me. I can only guess it is because I come from the wrong end of teh neighborhood to be one of their ardent supporters. That is incredibly poor constituent service.
I dont believe the city has cut the mowing budget. ANd they do indeed mow in the rain. I have witnessed it. It would be one thing if they just couldnt afford to mow. But to pay these careless guys a decent salary to mow so badly is unacceptable.
I know this is a bigger picture thing, but we as taxpayers and voters need to stand up and force the government to stop wasting our money through bad project management and indifferent workers.
Well at least they cut it. That’s a start and beats what they do on Libby Hill Park which is leave large random swaths uncut.