[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish sets aside money for overgrown yard sweep

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish sets aside money for overgrown yard sweep
Posted by St. Bernard bureau September 19, 2007 9:53AM
St. Bernard bureau

St. Bernard Parish government will embark on a sweep aimed at cutting grass
and cleaning up yards in neighborhoods where residents have returned. 

The Parish Council on Tuesday approved spending $150,000 for the sweep. The
priority, council members say, will be to clean up yards of vacant homes
sitting adjacent to those where residents currently live. 


Councilman Craig Taffaro, who authored the measure, said it gives Public
Works Director Chris Merkl the latitude to spend the $150,000 as he sees fit
to attack the problem, be it bringing on additional workers or buying
equipment.

How far the $150,000 will go in a parish generously supplied with vacant
houses and overgrown lawns is anyone's guess. 

"If we use it on a priority basis I think it'll get us to the slow-growing
season," Taffaro said. 

Taffaro hopes that once the grass in the problem yards has been "knocked
down" to a manageable height, residents living in neighboring homes might
take over such maintenance. He said he's heard from some residents who would
volunteer for such an effort, as well as others who say it's not something
for which they should be responsible. 

"So it's going to be a mix," he said.