Amid vocal opposition to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials in some Metro Detroit communities are refusing to enforce the governor's prohibition on commercial lawn service, insisting local police aren't compelled to uphold orders they say would harm their residents.
Banning commercial lawn service will bring rats, mosquitoes, blight and other problems, officials in at least four Metro Detroit communities have argued since Whitmer on April 9 extended her March 23 stay-at-home directive and added new restrictions, including the lawn service prohibition.
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said the ban could do more harm than good.
"I'm not going to support giving any citation," Fouts said. "We have a large number of senior citizens, and many of them have special needs. They don't own lawnmowers; they rely on commercial services.
"I called the governor's office last week, and I thought I made a pretty good argument; I said, 'if you do this, we'll end up with weeds instead of grass, and tall weeds will bring rats and mice. I told them it's a bad idea and asked them to rethink the policy, but it looks like they're not going to."
