Even though January has just started and spring may seem a long way away, the city of Denison is asking residents to take the time to keep their lawns maintained when the inevitable growing season comes.

The Denison City Council authorized the placement of $38,896 of liens on 371 lots throughout the city for mowing services that were rendered on neglected or abandoned lots throughout the city over the past year. City Manager Robert Hanna said the lots were mowed because they were out of compliance with the city code, which limits grass to being less than 12 inches tall.

At some point in time it starts to become a health and safety hazard, said Hanna, adding that the tall grass can attract pests and dangerous snakes and also become a fire hazard. Beyond being a safety concern, Hanna said the tall grass can become a nuisance and an eyesore.

According to a list of frequently asked questions on the citys website, in the event of a violation, code enforcement will notify the property owner to correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected within seven days, a citation will be issued by the city. This citation is separate from the lien placed for mowing services.

These are just properties where the the grass has gotten too tall, said Denison Mayor Jared Johnson. So the city has to get them mowed.

From May of 2014 through November, the city mowed 371 lots, with some lots mowed multiple times. While some of these lots were abandoned, some are occupied.

When the economy goes bad, the weeds go up, said Hanna. Some people cant afford lawn care services anymore.

The liens placed on the property mowed by the city include mowing fees, which range from $17.50 to $75, and a flat administrative fee of $65 for each instance. The average cost of the liens is $104.84.

Hanna said the administrative fee arenot meant to act as a punitive measure and instead allow the city to recover legitimate administrative costs including the use the city attorneys time in filing the liens, the cost of city staff time in researching case history and other in-house costs connected to the service.

It is still a net loss for us, said Hanna. We dont like doing it, but this is a public safety issue.

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Denison official say mowing liens about recouping costs

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A prohibited fire season has been declared in Selwyn District, effective from 10am Wednesday 7 January 2015.

Under the restrictions no outdoor fires can be lit in the district. The burning of crop stubble is also not allowed. Gas barbeques with a high pressure water source at hand are allowed but not charcoal barbeques. Fires are also not permitted in Council reserves. During a prohibited fire season all fire permits previously issued by the Council are also cancelled.

The districts Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer Douglas Marshall says that vegetation in Selwyn District is now very dry and a prohibited fire season has been introduced to help ensure that the risk of fires breaking out is minimised.

"Selwyn has been experiencing hot, dry weather along with strong winds and this provides ideal conditions for fires to spread quickly," he says.

Mr Marshall says that people need to be very vigilant in this weather to avoid any activities that could start a fire. "We would discourage people from mowing the lawn or operating machinery during the heat of the day as sparks can easily ignite in the heat, and instead carry out these activities when it is cooler. Letting off fireworks is also not allowed in the current conditions."

Mr Marshall says the Council will be reviewing the prohibited fire season status regularly and will lift restrictions as soon as it is considered safe to do so.

Reducing fire risk

You can help to reduce the fire risk, and make sure that fire services can quickly access your property to put out a fire if one does start, by:

- avoiding operating lawn mowers or other machinery during hot weather as sparks can easily ignite in these conditions, and waiting until the weather is cooler to mow laws or operate machinery. If you do need to use machinery or a lawn mower, having a source of water nearby for fire firefighting is advisable as a precaution

- regularly checking and maintaining machinery and equipment so it is safe to operate

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Prohibited fire season declared in Selwyn

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Manuel Cantu had few needs. His morning coffee and the newspaper, a few lottery tickets, and a bit of money for food and beer were all it took to make him happy.

Known to everyone in his hometown of Poteet as Indian Joe, Cantu was always willing to work, mowing lawns, raking leaves and doing any other handyman chores for which he might be paid a few dollars.

He wasnt begging money, his sister Hilda Cantu said. He would say, 'I can do this for you, pay me what you want; if you need anything, just let me know.

Cantu was found dead at his apartment Monday, the victim of an apparent homicide. He was 66.

The fifth of 11 children, Cantu dubbed himself Indian Joe after the Native American characters portrayed in the Western movies he watched as a child.

He was raised by his father after his mother left the family when he was 15, dropping out of school in the ninth grade to work in the fields with his brothers.

He was a migrant worker, traveled to different states, Hilda Cantu said. He picked oranges in Florida, in Indiana picked tomatoes, worked in a corn factory in Minnesota; when he got back to Poteet, he got into the lawn mowing and trimming business.

Cantu also picked strawberries in his hometown, and never missed the annual Poteet Strawberry Festival and parade.

Cantu, who never married or had children, often played volleyball with his family on the weekends, but his passion was wrestling, his sister said. He loved to see the WWE, gathering at his fathers house, and then hosting his family at his own small apartment on Monday nights after his fathers death.

But Cantu could mostly be found riding his bicycle he never owned a car through the streets of Poteet, offering his services to anyone in need.

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Indian Joe Cantu was well-known resident of Poteet

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Letters to the Editor

Why is Senator Nick Xenophon so surprised that the ironically named Department of Human Services would splurge $500,000 plus fighting one of its customers over a $6000 dispute, while knowing it was in the wrong ("Department of Human Services spends $500,000 on legal fees fighting $6000 child support dispute", canberratimes.com.au, December 22)?

As those who think that government exists to advance and protect the interests of citizens rudely discover through direct experience, government sees its principal role to keep citizens "in their place" so it can busy itself advancing its own self-interest.

Money, particularly that belonging to taxpayers, is no object when it comes to that imperative.

John Richardson, Wallagoot,NSW

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No end to DHS debacle

Your article "Obsession with secrecy, red tape at DHS" (December 19, p5), sums up this department to a tee. As a former employee I can attest to that. The fetid culture of arrogance and disregard for transparency, disregard for customers and its own employees, as well as the government and the media has become worse under the current management team.

To say there are "cultural issues and management system issues" at the Department of Human Services is akin to saying Cyclone Tracy was a light breeze. Most of these cultural issues and toxic management styles emanate from Centrelink, which is almost cult-like in its attitude.

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