Recent social media comments about the Department of Development’s reminder about high grass in the city were addressed at the recent Housing Committee meeting. Pictured are Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1, Dan Gonzalez, D-At Large, Hannah Jaroszynski, D-Ward 4, as Crystal Surdyk, city development director, speaks during the meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Following some comments on social media about a post from the Department of Development on regulations on high grass in the city, Crystal Surdyk, city development director, explained the purpose of the post at the latest housing committee meeting.

“The intent of it, if you look back at our social media page, and we just use Facebook, we don’t use any others, we have the quality of life tickets and we have been posting reminders of those common quality of life issues that come up, especially this time of year,” Surdyk said.

Specifically, there are certain quality of life ticketing things the department does during this time as the snow has melted and things like garbage, animal feces, and grass are accumulating. These Facebook posts are periodic reminders of these common issues, along with how to report an issue if someone needs to file a complaint.

“I don’t know what else to say besides people want us to do our jobs, and then get upset with us for doing our jobs,” Surdyk said. “Cut your grass. Be a good neighbor.”

Council members noted that people appeared to be saying in their comments that there are other things to worry about, like demolitions, but also noted that things like this are important and a part of the DOD’s job as well.

“High grass is by far the number one complaint that we get,” Surdyk said. “It’s constant. There’s no defense of it, because I don’t think there’s one needed. It was simply a reminder that we have a quality of life ticketing system. Cut your grass, because if you don’t you can get a ticket.”

Surdyk said the DOD really is just wanting people to comply, and with the new quality of life ticketing system they do not have to wait weeks to bring people to court. As the problem with the grass is happening now, she said it would do no good to bring people to court in three months, since that is how long it sometimes takes.

“We’ve had some complaints recently where the grass is high, and especially if you’re on a corner lot it becomes dangerous for people to be able to see,” Surdyk said. “Just last week, I had to ask our parks crew who does our mowing that we pay for to try and get it back from the property owners, we had to ask them to go and do a corner lot. We got so many complaints and we went to check it out and the grass was so high in the corner on the terrace that you couldn’t see around the corner.”

Surdyk said with a situation like that someone could get into a car accident because visibility becomes an issue. This also means the city is using taxpayer money to go mow someone’s private yard.

“It was just a reminder,” Surdyk said. “I’m sorry people took offense to it, or don’t like it, or think we have better things to do. Believe me, we’re focusing on the better things to do. We’re just reminding you to take on your own responsibility as a property owner and a resident, and cut your grass.”

Councilwoman Hannah Jarosynski, D-Ward 5 and chair of the Housing Committee, added that no matter how big or small, a complaint is a complaint and it gets treated with the same amount of attention as anything else, which she added is what people would want.

“It doesn’t matter what I think of a complaint, or what Crystal thinks of a complaint,” Jarosynski said. “It’s going to be given the same attention. If they bring it in front of this committee it will be given the same attention as anything else.”