Overgrown ditch irks resident

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Buaford Lawrence thinks the city of Hartselle has a responsibility to maintain its own property and has posted a sign on his property at 611 Bethel Road to bring public attention to his belief. The sign reads: Hartselle City Keep Grass Mowed (in) Right-of-way.
Lawrence said he put up the sign a month ago after notifying a clerk at city hall that the grass and weeds on the street-side bank of the drainage ditch in front of his house were waist high and needed mowing. "She told me she would pass my request on to the public works department," he added.
"City workers usually come through here with mowers three or four times a year," stated Lawrence. "But they've only cut the right-of-way on Bethel Road one time so far this year.
"I don't see how anybody driving by could've missed how bad the ditch bank looks after I put up the sign," he said. "Street department workers have come by picking up trash and one of the city council members lives in the neighborhood and comes by every day.
"All I'm asking the city to do is to clean up the ditch," Lawrence said. "I could live with it being done once a month but once in a summer is ridiculous."
Lawrence said he maintained the ditch bank before Bethel Street was widened and repaved six or seven years ago. "I can't do it anymore because there's not enough slope.
"I work hard to keep my two places on this street presentable. The city ought to make an effort to do the same on its property," he added.