Jill Schramm/MDN A city mowing crew makes short work of a piece of city-owned ground north of Minot Public Library Wednesday afternoon.

Tasked with hundreds of properties to keep mowed this summer, the City of Minot Street Department has been staying on the go.

“It’s nonstop,” Public Works Director Dan Jonasson said. “We have gotten through most everything once. We are going through everything twice.”

The city has more than 400 lots acquired for flood protection as well as more than 300 acres of right of way and 22 miles of levees. In addition, the city has been mowing 80 nuisance lots that will be billed back to the property owner. By the time all lots are mowed, it can be two weeks before the city gets back around for the next mowing, Jonasson said.

“We are trying to work with a limited amount of resources because it’s tax dollars that are used for this,” he said.

The city hired six part-time employees, working under a foreman, to assist with mowing this summer. Street department personnel also mow hillside levees every week, and they help with other mowing duties whenever they can be freed up from street sweeping or patching. Personnel in the water and sewer department care for properties hosting city infrastructure.

The street department has a 2019 budget of $100,000 for extra help, which is the account that the summer mowing crew and other seasonal help is funded from. That is down from past years, when the city budgeted up to $170,000. Jonasson said the department once had eight to nine summer employees helping with mowing.

“One thing that has been beneficial in the last couple of years is the council let us buy some bigger mowers,” Jonasson said, noting the larger machines help in covering larger, open areas more quickly with fewer personnel. Smaller areas do exist, though, that are more labor intensive, particularly those that need to be cleared with weed eaters.

Spraying for weeds is part of normal levee maintenance, and the city hires a company licensed to perform the work because it requires a special chemical that is safe for use near the river. Jonasson said the city is getting quotes from companies for spraying to manage weeds, where needed, on its many lots.

The city also hires landscaping companies to work on the levees to try to ensure grass growth.

Jonasson said the city prioritizes mowing in areas located within residential areas. During major city events, such as the State Fair, the city tries to ensure nearby properties and levees are in condition to leave a good impression on visitors.

Jonasson encourages residents to call the Public Works Department at 857-4140 if they have concerns about city lots and want to know the mowing schedule. They also should call if they have concerns about nuisance lots in their neighborhoods. However, it can take time to gain access to mow a nuisance lot because of the landowner notification process and the opportunity that must be given the property owner to take care of the problem.