RACINE COUNTY - Daimon McClelland swapped Racine County Jail jumpsuit for a neon yellow median grass-cutter vest Thursday morning.

"Better than being cooped up in the pen up there," McClelland said from behind goggles and a red Honda push-mower at a Highway 20 median near Prairie Drive.

McClelland joined three other inmates from the County Jail Thursday who volunteered to cut grass along Highway 20 as part of a new county initiative to mow along state highway medians with curbs and gutters.

Work-release eligible inmates will be volunteering to cut the grass "on a regular basis" on stretches of highways 11, 20, 31 and 38 until the time of year when grass-cutting isn't an issue, officials said.

Though state and county officials have said that the Racine County Department of Public Works still trims areas where the grass dangerously obstructs visibility, the state has limited its funding for general mowing of state highway medians to once per year, leading some residents to complain that it's ugly and dangerous.

"We're trying to find a way to respond to the community response we got from that policy," Racine County Executive William McReynolds said.

The only cost to the county for the inmates' cutting is the gasoline for the mowers - "peanuts", according to McReynolds. "We won't feel it," McReynolds said.

The inmates doing the cutting pose no community risk, and are often in for traffic or child support offenses, McReynolds said. McClelland, 38, got sent to jail in May for being behind on his child support payments. He's in Racine County because his child lives in the area, he said. He is due to be released on Aug. 10.

Jim Prevec II, 39, was out mowing the same median as McClelland, and was also there for some fresh air. "I don't like being stuck in jail," he said. He's also in for child support and is awaiting his Aug. 24 release.

Each day's crop of volunteers will essentially work a full, 9-to-5 day, County Sheriff Bob Carlson said. For inmates under the work-release program, 24 hours of work reduces one's sentence by a day.

The County is looking for citizens to volunteer with helping supervise the grass-cutting, McReynolds said. Those interested can call the Sheriff's office at (262) 636-3693.