Grass cutting triples under YNDC program

YOUNGSTOWN — Like animals stirring from hibernation, the annual emergence of lawn mowers from their dingy winter shelters is a reliable indicator that winter is finally gone.

As the weather warms and the grass grows, giving the lawn a once-over becomes a weekly ritual for many. Up until 2015, the lawns that escaped that ritual ended up long and unkempt and eventually were cut by contractors hired by the city, often resulting in some 3,000 city-funded cuts each year.

Since taking over the business of cutting neglected lawns in 2015, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.’s grass-cutting crew has increased the annual number of cuts across the city to more than 10,000, while cutting the overall cost to the city.

The city formerly paid between $35 and $50 per cut to hire contractors to cut the lawns. Today, the city pays the YNDC $10 per cut, allowing it to increase the cuts without growing the price tag for the city.

For the complete story. read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com