Kristy Tallman
Sweet Home city officials took to Facebook this week to address a concerning surge in graffiti and vandalism within the city’s parks. The online announcement served as a follow-up to discussions held during the Jan. 23 City Council meeting, where council members, led by Councilor Dylan Richards and Public Works Director Greg Springman, expressed growing concerns and explored potential solutions.
During the City Council meeting, Richards voiced his concern about the escalating graffiti issues, focusing particularly on the state of Ashbrook Park.
“I have noticed there’s a lot of graffiti at the parks, especially where Ashbrook is. I’ve driven by it several times a day. Is there any way we could get cameras or something up?” Richards inquired.
Springman, responding to Richards’ concerns, acknowledged reports of tagging and vandalism, expressing gratitude that most incidents were confined to a portable toilet. He disclosed instances of posts being kicked over, emphasizing the hurdle they faced by the lack of power in the park for installing surveillance cameras.
“So certainly, but there is no power in the park, we have no lighting,” Springman said, suggesting that these acts of vandalism might be transpiring at night.
Delving into the financial aspects, Springman highlighted the cost associated with high resolution cameras, drawing parallels with those they installed in Sankey Park. Despite these challenges, he said he’s open to exploring alternatives, proposing game cameras as a potential short-term solution until funding for a more permanent solution could be determined.
As discussions progressed, revelations about additional instances of vandalism beyond Springman’s awareness prompted a personal commitment from him to investigate the situation further. He offered to collaborate with the police to potentially increase patrols, acknowledging the hit-and-miss nature of this approach.
“We can definitely try to do something to curb that,” Springman reiterated, underscoring the community’s investment in maintaining parks for everyone’s enjoyment.
The concept of forming a community watch group gained traction during the discussion, with Councilor Lisa Gourley endorsing the idea. Springman echoed the sentiment, recognizing the potential of a well-organized watch group to deter vandalism and contribute to public safety.
The proposal resonated positively, with an enthusiastic response from all council members present at the meeting. The idea of forming a community watch group in the areas of the parks was met with enthusiasm.
In addition to the council meeting conversation, the City highlighted a recent uptick in vandalism not only in parks but also in local businesses. The announcement on Facebook emphasized that while some parks had security cameras leading to successful identification of vandals, not all parks were equipped with this surveillance. The public was urged to assist in reporting instances of vandalism promptly.
The city’s Facebook post concluded with a direct plea to residents: “If you see someone vandalizing a park or business, please call the Sweet Home Police Department immediately. You can call 911 to report a crime being committed, and you can also call the non-emergency number at 541-367-5181. If you see something, say something.”
*Editors Note: We corrected a statement made by the City Council. The original article quoted one member saying “Hell Yeah” to the idea of forming a community watch group. When in fact it was just a “Yeah.”*