Title
Amendment to Keep Alachua County Beautiful Agreement for Graffiti Removal (B)
Explanation
Keep Alachua County Beautiful (KACB) is the local affiliate of Keep Florida Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful. KACB includes a "Zap the Crap" committee for the removal of graffiti from public and private property. Gainesville Police Department Lt. Ed Book is an active member of the KACB Board of Directors and chairs this committee. During the past year, Lt. Book enlisted the support of 108 volunteers to remove graffiti from 182 sites. Donated recycled paint from the Toxic Waste Round-up Corral and Suntec is used to paint over graffiti on buildings, walls, fences, and utility poles. Pro Chem Vandal Mark Out Remover is used to delete graffiti from traffic boxes, signs and telephone booths.
While Lt. Book's efforts are admirable, they have only been adequate in beginning the task of removing graffiti. For removal to be effective as a deterrent to continued defacement of property, the removal of graffiti must occur very soon after the graffiti is applied. This denies the person(s) applying the graffiti of notoriety and serves to discourage the person(s) from marking the area again. This is especially important when the marking is a gang insignia. Prompt removal is also important to reduce the ability of obscene and/or hateful graffiti to offend or hurt visitors and members of the community.
According to the National Graffiti Information Network, an advocacy group formed by the paint and coatings industry, communities spend an estimated $7 billion each year (more than $100 per household) dealing with graffiti.
KACB is willing to work with the City of Gainesville to provide for the quick removal or covering of graffiti during the next six months as part of a pilot program. With funding from the City in an amount not to exceed $10,000, KACB will use recycled paint or paint purchased by the property owner if an exact color match is required to cover graffiti. Additional supplies and the labor to remove or cover the graffiti will be afforded using these funds. KACB will keep records of the incidence of graffiti, and the time and supplies needed to eradicate it, to allow the City to evaluate the effectiveness of this operation.
Fiscal Note
Allocate $10,000 from the City Commission Contingency to Keep Alachua County Beautiful for removal of graffiti from public and private property.
Recommendation
The City Commission authorize the City Manager or designee to amend the Agreement with Keep Alachua County Beautiful for graffiti removal.