Elgin struggles to address graffiti
A rising graffiti problem in Elgin has prompted the city government to rethink its approach to removing the vandalism.
At the July 13 council meeting Councilman John Prigge mentioned seeing more graffiti in the city this spring — an observation confirmed by the numbers.
In 2009, Elgin cleared 362 graffiti markings. In 2010 that number rose to 452. But just in the first half of 2011, the city already responded to 261 defacements, according to Colby Basham, a Public Works superintendent who presented to the council Wednesday concerning the new approach.
Prigge wondered in July if there was a way to commit to a standard for graffiti removal — preferably 24 hours on main roads, rather than the days it sometimes takes.
“It’s an image heartbreak,” Prigge said at that meeting.
Basham presented a step toward improving the response time. Instead of using community restitution groups to clear graffiti, Public Works employees will take on that responsibility.
The changeover will begin Aug. 15 and though 24-hour removal won’t be mandated right away, it will be the goal.
Basham said the department will track all of the graffiti work orders and response times through the pilot 311 system already functioning in public works. In a few months, Basham will return to the council with a report of how they’ve done.
“We’ll develop a more consistent approach to how we handle graffiti within the community,” Basham said.
Councilwoman Tish Powell expressed concerns with reallocating the time of Public Works employees questioning what other jobs will be left undone.
Though City Manager Sean Stegall said that can’t be quantified until the 311 system is fully up and running, Basham mentioned the trade-off between community restitution employees and public works employees seems beneficial for now. Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said the police department is also working to proactively address graffiti. Officers are talking to business owners about avoiding selling spray paint and markers to youth and incorporating graffiti awareness into Operation Home Front meetings with parents of young people getting involved in gangs.
“We are trying to be proactive,” Swoboda said. “But it is difficult.”