Voters could require counties to mow ditches

Citizens could require counties to mow drainage ditches under a bill heard by the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee March 8.

Current law requires landowners to mow all weeds that can be mowed with an ordinary farm mower to the middle of all public roads and drainage ditches at least twice a year.

LB87, introduced by Imperial Sen. Mark Christensen, would allow voters to require the county to mow weeds in all drainage ditches. A resolution from the county board or a petition would place the issue on the ballot.

The bill also would provide a means for revoking a mowing mandate and returning mowing responsibility to landowners.

Christensen said every county in his legislative district mows weeds except one, which recently discontinued offering the service. With LB87, he said, counties would be required to accept a two-year mowing commitment.

“The people decide if they want to pay taxes to have the county do the mowing or have the landowners do it,” Christensen said.

Beth Bazyn Ferrell, representing the Nebraska Association of County Officials, testified in opposition to LB87, saying it would increase expenditures for counties already preparing to operate without state aid. The bill also would present liability problems if a landowner does not fulfill his or her mowing responsibilities and someone is injured because of untrimmed vegetative growth after mowing responsibilities shift to the county, she said.

No one testified in favor of LB87 and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.