Before dawn on a February weekday, the smokestack over REO Town stands against a sky that has not decided on light yet, and the lots along Washington Avenue need to be open by seven. Outdoor Specialties keeps that clock — plowing, clearing walks, laying salt ahead of the freeze so the first arrival never thinks about the pavement at all. In the green months the same properties get mowed, trimmed and edged on a set rotation, with cleanups at both ends of the year. Lansing runs on early shifts, and the ground has to be ready for them. It is quiet work, noticed mostly when it is missing.