To the editor:

Here comes spring. April showers bring May flowers, or so they say. Well, last year, they didn’t in downtown because of budget cuts. Half of the downtown planters were empty. Lawrence has the most beautiful downtown setting in the state of Kansas. Flowers don’t cost that much. So what can be done?

The city needs more revenue. As I’ve mentioned before on the sidewalks issue, bring out the “snow cops.” Now here’s another idea. Bring out the “plant cops.” Businesses are not in compliance.

Take a look at the AT&T tower in the 700 block of Vermont. The tower was controversial when it was built in the late ’70s. A site plan was reluctantly approved. The plan called for landscaping. Where’s the landscaping? You think AT&T could afford a bush or two? It looks bad, no class.

I have read the city ordinance and can find no penalties for not replacing or maintaining landscaping after one gets an occupancy permit. So what’s the incentive to take care of it? I was always taught that every 10 cents you put into landscaping will return your investment 10 to 20 times.

According to our city manager, the city does not have the resources to enforce the snow ordinance. He’ll probably say the same thing about my additional proposal. How much would it cost to get one person to enforce both? Deputize the Master Gardeners!

This is supposed to be Tree City USA. Let’s make it the prettiest city in Kansas and stop the leakage to Wyandotte County.

Dennis Barritt,
Lawrence