Stearns County Highway De- partment, as part of its vegetation management program, will sched- ule some roadside vegetation work along all Stearns County highways. The unwanted brush and noxious weeds will be cut and/or treated with herbicide. This notice is to inform all property owners which have property abutting county roads of the work the county has sched- uled and their right to use alterna- tive methods.
The county’s goals are to elimi- nate the brush and noxious weeds and to promote grass cover along the roadside. Brush along the road reduces driving visibility, obstructs road signs and reduces driver reac- tion time to crossing wildlife. Brush presents maintenance problems by retaining water along the roadbed, obstructing ditches and damaging equipment.
During spray operation, the county will take care to avoid sen- sitive areas adjacent to the right-of- way such as tree plantations, orna- mental plantings, crops, gardens, front yards, lakes and streams.
If you would like to maintain the right-of-way adjacent to your land in some other fashion, such as mow- ing, please follow these instructions:
Fill out a “Spraying Exemption Form” completely and return it to: Stearns County Highway Depart- ment, P.O. Box 246, St Cloud, MN 56387-0246.
The “Spraying Exemption Form” is available on the Stearns Coun- ty website at: stearnscountymn. gov/661/Noxious-Weed-Control.
Post “DO NOT SPRAY” signs on the backslope at the beginning and ending areas you do not want treated.
Remove brush and/or noxious weeds within that site by June 15, and continue to maintain it. If the brush and/or noxious weeds are not removed, the county will treat the area as part of the vegetation man- agement program.
If you have any questions, please contact the Stearns County Highway Department at 320-255-6180.
Personal care items needed
Donate personal care items to United Way to help families this sum- mer. Specific needs include shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, feminine hygiene prod- ucts, diapers and wipes, laundry detergent and first aid supplies. Drop off donations- Monday-Thursday, at 921 First St. N., St. Cloud. Contact Mary Krippner at (320) 223-7991 or mkrippner@unitedwayhelps.org.
Child Advocacy Center seeks volunteers
The Child Advocacy Center is a multi-disciplinary response for child abuse investigations, within CentraCare. Volunteers will in- teract and play with children in the waiting area while their sib- lings are seen. Responsibilities in- clude greeting patients and family members, engaging children and adolescents in activities, escort- ing patients to designated areas, assisting with administrative and clerical tasks, and assisting staff as needed. Contact Kenny at 320- 255-5638 or email volunteer@ centracare.com.
