YPSILANTI, MI - A skunk carcass lying in an Ypsilanti public parking lot for weeks has some business owners upset with how the city is tackling public maintenance.

Fresh flowers placed at an impromptu "memorial" by the animal's remains didn't mask the smell in a city-owned public parking lot off South Huron Street over the past several weeks.

Mark Swanson, co-owner of Terry's Bakery at 119 W. Michigan Ave., said he and some others noticed the smell about a month ago. The business is located just around the corner from the parking lot.

"It was much worse in the beginning," Swanson said. "As the carcass stopped rotting and became sun-baked and became skunk jerky, it didn't smell as bad as it did originally, thanks to the sun and the wind killing it."

The carcass soon became a referendum on how public parking lots are being cared for by the city.

"We told different people, but nothing happened," Swanson said. "We've been after the city, not just me, but the other business owners."

After weeks of no response, Swanson and others got creative in addressing the issue in hopes of prompting city action.

A cardboard sign was inscribed with the words, "Ypsi City Skunk Memorial" in red spray paint and cut gladiolas were placed near the carcass, of which only tufts of the black-and-white striped fur remained after weeks of decomposition.

"I guess somebody put that on up," Swanson said, adding it was probably Saturday or Sunday the memorial began taking shape. "People were dropping off flowers and things, supposedly someone was going to bring balloons."

On Monday, Sept. 18, city equipment operator John Bogoski arrived on scene and used a shovel to pick up the carcass and deposit it in a garbage truck.

Ypsilanti Public Services Director Stan Kirton confirmed his department had received a call about the skunk and taken care of the carcass that day. He declined further comment on the city's policies on dead animal pick-up.

While Swanson said he was delighted to have the skunk carcass removed from the parking lot, he is disappointed with the speed at which situations like that are being addressed by city staff.

"They haven't taken care of things very quickly," Swanson said. "I guess it's not a problem depending on how the wind blows to city hall."

An Ypsilanti resident, Swanson said the parking lot has been a mess for quite some time, with weeds growing more than 6 feet tall in some areas and trash left behind by littering passersby or an errant wind.

"The skunk was just one thing. There's been trash all over the place. We've been trying to get stuff done but it's falling on deaf ears," said Swanson, noting the city did not put down any weed killer or vinegar to prevent future growth.

Dave Heikkinen, president of the Downtown Association of Ypsilanti, said he has also been reaching out to the city with concerns about the public parking lots and the lack of upkeep.

"Our city doesn't have lots of money, but we need to remind them we need some care in our parking lots from time to time," Heikkinen said. "I suspect they're just busy and the resources are tied up but that's why I spoke up."

Heikkinen said he understands "things just degrade over time," but pointed out the parking lot is in a very visible location.

He hopes to hear back from the city after reaching out about short and long-term care of the parking lots, such as fixing potholes and weed removal to resurfacing the area.

"It's the first you see when you come in the city and services city hall and restaurants in downtown (Ypsilanti,)" Heikkinen said. "It's a popular parking lot. It also services our farmers market."

Swanson said residents and business owners are not seeing the action they would like to when it comes to public issues like dead animal removal.

"Hopefully everybody will approach this with a sense of humor and when they're notified about something like this, they'll help us take action a lot quicker," Swanson said. "We pay a lot of taxes but we just don't seem sometimes to get the action we like. And hopefully that will change."