The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) lawn mower police are afoot! I was notified that because I was using an unapproved access (driving off the highway) I am now forbidden to mow or drive across Highway 87 right of way. 

But rest easy girl scouts, ICE will be in your lemonade, not taking you away. Just make sure your sign does not touch the road right away! It also states they will be watching me. 

This is good, maybe they will notice the noxious weeds in their right away or the stop sign at County Road 33 full of bullet holes. They might even finally after two years notice the non-existent curve sign at mile marker 7.5! Broke off by their equipment! It lays in the ditch bottom grown over with thistle and wild parsnip. 

We are lucky no one has driven off that corner on a snowy, foggy morning. But there are more important safety hazards like rummage sale signs, birthday balloons or the dreaded giant Amish pickle billboard. But MnDOT says it’s my nasty 46-inch zero turn that’s the real threat! Who knew? 

State statute says it is illegal to mow right of way but do not worry, all of you that mow your lawn to the highway, they’re not after you. JUST ME! Hmmm? MnDOT has some very hard working people in the shop and field, especially the bridge crew. Too bad they all have to tell the public, “sorry just doing what we’re told” because they are overshadowed by management that has their nose so high all they see is clouds or up there (well you know). How do they breathe?

MnDOT when you waste taxpayer’s dollars sending workers to check on me bring some spray or a cutter and get your 4-foot thistle where I now can’t legally mow. MnDOT has chosen to enforce state statute on me forbidding the mowing of anything in the right of way punishable by law.

Therefore I request MnDOT to control your invasive weeds because adjoining land owners are forbidden to.

And I almost forgot, when you are wasting tax dollars checking on me, the balloons in the right of way by the church out here came from the cemetery. Could you put them somewhere close to the headstones? The parents would most likely violate some statute retrieving them and they don’t need the wrath of MnDOT at this time.

Paul Adams, 

Frazee