City to collect $4,800 for mowing lawns

The city of Havre will collect $4,800 today from property owners who failed to keep their property trim this summer.

The money will be assessed on property owners who failed to keep their lawns mowed.

City codes authorize the city government to mow the lawns of landowners who let grass grow out of control, Mayor Tim Solomon said. The city mows the lawns and tacks the cost on the property owners’ tax bills.

An average size lawn is assessed $150, he said, but people with larger lawns have to pay more.

About 28 properties were assessed varying amounts of money, he said. Many were absentee landowners, he said. “Many are repeat offenders.”

He said it was somewhat befuddling why the landowners fail to keep their lawns mowed. They would simply need to hire someone to mow it, he said.

“It certainly would be a lot cheaper,” the mayor said.