City Hiring Contractors to Remove Graffiti

Heather Martin and her new business partner Michael Green can't wait to help Asheville tackle the citywide graffiti problem.

Friday, the couple went to hear Public Works Director Cathy Ball explain the breakdown of how $330,000 earmarked for clean-up will get paid out to qualified sub-contractors working with the city. "We would love to be a part of getting the city cleaned up," says Martin. "We are getting credentialed and want to help keep Asheville as beautiful as we can," she adds.

Ball explained to about 30 potential subcontractors, the pay structure will enable the city to pay them $100 an hour for tagging remediation. From July 1st to September 1st, Asheville business owners can contact the city and have a subcontractor come to their building to get an estimate on tagging removal. The city has a $500 cap they'll cover for each business. If costs for larger tagging removal go beyond $500, the business owner will have to pay out of their own pocket.

Pattiy Torno who owns, The Curve artist buildings in the River Arts District, feels that fee structure is just fine. "I would actually like to commend the City of Asheville, Public Works Director, Cathy Ball and Mayor Esther Manheimer, for what they have done," says Torno. "It really is up to us to maintain our property. It's like anything else. If someone throws a rock through your window, you fix the window. You don't go ask the city to fix your window for you," she adds.

In the past, some business owners across Asheville have said they feel Asheville Police, the District Attorney, and city leaders weren't doing enough to aggressively address Asheville's growing graffiti problems.
Initially under the 90-day summer sweep, business owners were going to be responsible for 10% of costs to clean-up tagging on their properties.
"Since that time an anonymous donor has come forward and donated that 10% match," says Cathy Ball, Asheville's Public Works Director. "They did it to make it more affordable for business owners to get it done. It speaks to how much people care about the community," she adds.

After September, business owners will be fully responsible for costs of clean-up. The city is also launching a public awareness campaign about the clean-up called "One, Two, Three, Graffiti Free." The slogan will appear on the city's homepage as well on a smartphone App where anyone can take a photo of graffiti, and send it into the city to get it cleaned up.

Businesses after September who don't clean up tagging on their property may be subject to a nuisance fine, similar to what would happen when a property owner allows their property to become overgrown with weeds.

By: Kimberly King
Follow Kim on Twitter @KimKingReports

Related Link:
Graffiti Removal Plan

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