Take unsightly weeds out of sight

Our welcome to just about any city or town in the Chicago suburbs (not all, mind you) is the disgraceful weed growth on the median strips and curbing. Who or what agency is responsible for the non-eradication of these unsightly weeds? “Sorry, it’s not in the budget to make our community a beautiful sight for residence and visitors. Oh, yes, we have beautiful plant hangings in the downtown area or the fancy banners and we send out the street sweepers from time to time, but nobody ever complains about the weeds on the medians and curbs so why should we make the effort to rid ourselves of them?”

I am not one to mete out punishment; however, what about those who are sentenced to community service? Are they beneath pulling or whacking weeds? Anybody have any other ideas? Oh, you want me to go out and take care of the problem because I am the only one who gives a rip about it. Or am I?

Do the officials of all of the offending towns ever drive past these weed-infested medians and curbs? Do they have their budgetary blinders on when they do? Maybe their respective driveways/curbs/yards are full of weeds and it is something they are used to seeing and “it is what it is, so there.” Community pride, in this case, on a 10 point scale is rated a 1 for indifference. Do first impressions matter or do the flower pots and banners cancel out the weeds?

Gordon A. Hamilton

Streamwood