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City, county need to get weed problems under control

Both the City of Minot and Ward County could do more to control the spread of weeds.

Controlling and in some cases eradicating certain weeds takes more time and money than private property owners are willing to devote to their problems. Yes, property owners bear that responsibility.

But when homeowners and landowners can’t afford to or are unwilling to deal with their infestations, government must be prepared to step in. That hasn’t always happened in this part of the state.

In the city’s case, that hasn’t happened to the degree it should have. Five years after the last Souris River flood people who have rebuilt their homes still must put up with weed-polluted properties in their neighborhoods. How discouraging that must be for those who are “buying” their homes for the second time.

Urban sprawl, on the other hand, has created new problem areas outside the city limits where the county weed board needs to better focus its efforts.

To their credit, both the city and the county are exploring how to work together. Let’s hope that the city council and county commission have the wisdom to appropriate adequate money to deal with nuisance and even nastier weeds now being allowed to grow unchecked. With weed control, if you are not part of the solution you are a part – a big part – of the problem.

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