Published 11/9/07

City and schools combat graffiti

by Beckye Randall

The city of Marysville is partnering with local educators to combat troublesome graffiti in the community with some success so far, although staff acknowledged that much work is still to be done.

In a joint session between the Marysville City Council and the local School Board October 29, the problems caused by graffiti and the cultural environment that drives it were recurring topics.

For City Councilman Jeff Vaughan, who helped organize the city’s Graffiti Task Force, the problem has had a personal impact.

“It really hit me personally when my son’s Eagle Scout project was vandalized within days of being completed in Jennings Park,” said Vaughan. With the help of donated hours and materials, the teen created a scenic vista overlooking Allen Creek with park benches installed on concrete pads. “Unfortunately, the viewpoint became a target of vandals,” Vaughan explained, “requiring city staff to paint over graffiti on the benches many times each week. Eventually, the benches were so badly damaged that the Parks Department had to remove them.”

The task force includes citizens, business owners, police, city staff and school district employees. One of its first recommendations was a change to the city ordinance regarding graffiti cleanup, which now requires businesses to remove or cover graffiti within 48 hours instead of the 30-day period previously on the books. “Quick cleanup of graffiti disrupts [taggers’] ability to communicate, and sends a strong message that their acts will not be tolerated,” Vaughan said.

As Vaughan said, “It’s important that we recognize and understand the cultural issues going on with graffiti. It’s more than just random vandalism. Graffiti is the newspaper of the streets.”

The city has begun plotting graffiti activity, according to police chief Richard Smith, and the police department has added emphasis patrols in the areas most commonly affected. “Since August 2007, we have responded to 293 reported incidents [of graffiti], most of them within the middle school corridors,” Smith reported.

Smith added that the department searches for alternatives to arrests, since most of the offenders are juveniles. Education and prevention are preferred for graffiti violations, which are considered malicious mischief or vandalism.

The graffiti task force worked with video production students at Marysville Pilchuck High School to create an educational video that sends a message that “graffiti hurts everyone in our community,” Vaughan said. The task force is reviewing the film and considering ways to get the message out to students.

In another effort to educate students about the consequences of graffiti, City Council member Carmen Rasmussen met with kids from Totem Middle School. “I asked them, what do you want?” Rasmussen said. “If the city is spending money cleaning up graffiti, that takes funds away from projects the kids want, like skateboard parks or bike lanes.”

With efforts undertaken so far, the city has seen a downturn in the number and severity of graffiti incidents. Because of its success, Vaughan said, “The county is patterning anti-graffiti efforts after Marysville.”

For more information about the Graffiti Task Force, or to offer comments or suggestions, contact Jeff Vaughan at (360) 659-1010 or by e-mail at jvaughan@ci.marysville.wa.us.

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