Nearly 90 years ago, Minot residents were threatened with arrest if they failed to cut or remove the weeds before they went to seed. This punitive approach was reported in the June 5, 1935, edition of The Minot Daily News and Daily Optic Reporter, which led with a headline stating, “Dandelion arrests threatened in Minot.”

The push for arrests was made by local attorney H. E. Johnson, who was the chairman of a clean-up campaign committee in Minot at the time.

Johnson is quoted saying, “There are more dandelions than ever before in the city, and if they are allowed to go to seed the situation will become even worse.”

The Minot city ordinance as it was at the date in question required all persons who owned or occupied real estate in the city to cut or pull all noxious weeds; specifically naming Canada thistles, cockle burrs, mustard, wild oats, French weed and Russian cactus.

Archive Scan A June 5, 1935, article in The Minot Daily News and Optic Reporter announced the threat to arrest homeowners who ran foul of an ordinance requiring homeowners to cut or remove dandelions before they’ve gone to seed.

All persons in violation of the ordinance who were found to be not in compliance after three days of notification faced a punishment of a $10 fine, and, if in default of the payment, five days in jail.

According to City of Minot Public Information Officer Jennifer Kleen, modern ordinances still require property owners to promptly address nuisances like weeds, but without the threat of jail time for non-compliance.

“Weeds are included in Chapter 22 under nuisances. They can be reported in the MyMinot app. We would confirm the complaint and send a letter giving the property owner time to fix it. After seven days, it would be rechecked and if unaddressed, it would go on the list for our grass foreman,” Kleen said. “With our legal notification requirements, it takes about two weeks to address a nuisance report. If our grass team takes care of long grass or weeds, the fee is assessed to the property.”

Minot City Ordinance Sec-22 governs the abatement of nuisances like weeds and grasses, which must be kept below 8 inches. Property owners in Minot are required to maintain the boulevard areas adjacent to the properties as well to ensure that grass is cut and weeds are addressed. Should the property owner fail to comply, the city may intervene and assess the associated costs to the property owner.

An indirect descendent of the 1935 clean-up committee exists today through the Ward County Weed Board which was founded in 1981. The weed board is made up of five members who are appointed by the county commission. The board’s mission is to control the spread of noxious weeds in the county, and provides a wealth of information for the public on the Ward County website.