Vidalia aldermen this month added teeth to their ordinance regarding overgrown lawns &045; and next they are going to tackle abandoned cars.

It might seem like a trivial issue, but cleaning up yards goes a long way toward quality of life in a community &045; and toward economic development.

The Town of Vidalia already charged property owners to cut their grass when the property owners wouldn’t do it themselves. But an amended ordinance allows the town to charge the cost to the property owner’s taxes, likely ensuring the town has a better chance of getting the money.

As Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland unintentionally punned, &uot;We’ve tried everything on God’s green earth to get these people to mow their grass, and finally we had to do this.&uot;

The cleaning up won’t stop there. Beginning Aug. 1, the city will place warning stickers on &uot;junk&uot; cars in front of property. If the car isn’t moved in 12 days, the town will tow it.

Aldermen’s efforts have already paid off in cleaner lots. And they will benefit residents in a number of ways. In addition to just making the town a prettier place in which to live, a cleaner community is more attractive to potential industry.

And, especially in summer, cleaned up property is essential to helping curb the population of mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus.

Kudos to Vidalia aldermen for cracking down on property owners who neglect their lots.