[Southsider2k12]

I was up at the lake over the weekend, and the amount of spray paint on the lighthouse was horrible. Its sad people don't have anything better to do than to ruin things for everyone else.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=42203.22

Getting tough on graffiti
Ordinance penned to rid residents of nuisance

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The city is preparing to get tough on graffiti and so-called graffiti "artists" with a new ordinance introduced at the City Council this week.

The ordinance refers to graffiti as "a public nuisance" and "criminal vandalism." It sets out a process for the city and its residents to remove graffiti in a timely manner.

Council members Angie Nelson and Willie Milsap sponsored the ordinance. Members of the public can weigh in on it during a public hearing at the council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, in the council chambers.

Graffiti is defined in the ordinance as "unauthorized inscription, word, figure, painting or other defacement." It can be "written, marked, etched, scratched, sprayed, drawn, painted, engraved or otherwise affixed to public or private property."

Nelson credits Mark Swistek, chief of operations for the Michigan City Police Department, for researching the issue and identifying solutions. Swistek will give a presentation on the police department's involvement in graffiti removal at the May 5 council meeting.

According to Mayor Chuck Oberlie, the northern third of Michigan City has the largest number of graffiti incidents, particularly along Michigan Boulevard. He budgeted $50,000 this year to get a graffiti removal assistance program off the ground.

A special piece of equipment is being purchased for use by city crews to remove graffiti on public property. Private property owners victimized by this vandalism will be able to purchase graffiti removal kits for $25 in the city controller's office. The kits contain a pair of latex gloves, a scrub brush, a pair of safety glasses, a mask and a can of graffiti remover.

As the ordinance now reads, it's the property owner's responsibility to remove the graffiti. The city central services department or other city departments will notify the owner that property has been defaced and allow 10 days for it to be removed. Failure to do so will result in a $50 fine for each day it remains. If it's not removed within 10 days, the city would be able to remove the graffiti and charge the owner for the cost of removal. Property owners have the option of requesting a hearing before the Board of Works and Public Safety within the 10-day grace period.

Persons found responsible for graffiti will be fined $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second and $1,000 for the third. Parents or legal guardians of minors will be held responsible for paying the fines.

Councilman Rich Murphy spoke in favor of the ordinance, calling graffiti a "hot issue" in the 1st Ward, where neighborhood groups have organized to address the problem.

"What I like about this approach is it's a comprehensive assault on graffiti through a partnership of the police and the community," Murphy said.

Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54891.57

Graffiti issue still before council

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - A city ordinance pertaining to graffiti is still under consideration by the Michigan City Common Council. The ordinance was introduced by Angie Nelson, an at-large council member, and Willie Milsap, 5th Ward council member, at the April 7 council meeting.

Nelson wants the public to know that the council will have a second and possibly a third reading at the May 5 council meeting. At the meeting, members of the audience will have a chance to make comments. However, a formal public hearing on the graffiti ordinance will not be held.

Nelson said graffiti removal kits are not yet available, but would be available if the council adopts the ordinance.

She said the intention of the ordinance is for the city to provide graffiti removal kits at a cost of $25.

The city would provide kits free of charge to property owners who can demonstrate they can't afford to pay for them. Nelson said the council hopes to organize a graffiti removal kickoff throughout the city, with volunteers going out to neighborhoods and cleaning up the eyesores. She said the event could happen sometime in the middle of May.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=22465

Graffiti
Fines for victims go too far

Editorial

It would be helpful to Michigan City residents if the city provided help for people who want to clean graffiti off their property, but the proposed ordinance setting $50-a-day fines for residents who don't remove the "tags" seems to target the victim rather than the perpetrator.

Most residents are eager to clean graffiti, and some of them find themselves having to clean it off or paint it over repeatedly, knowing it devalues their homes and their neighborhoods.

Yes, some property owners might be negligent about maintaining their buildings, but since the city is prepared to make clean-up kits available, it may as well go ahead and have a crew whitewash over the graffiti that that minority of owners seemingly ignores or isn't in a position to remedy, for whatever reason.

It's more important to remove the blemish than to punish the property owner.

Even more important is intervening with the gang members or "wanna-be" gang members thought to be responsible for the graffiti. Police patrols already saturate some areas, and should officers happen to catch a few of these vandals in the act, why, there's a ready-made clean-up crew for a judge to give a summer job to - unpaid, of course.

Gang graffiti speaks volumes to the public, and to visitors, and it suggests that the city is thick with gangs and is a dangerous place.

It's important to halt the painting of graffiti, and while city officials are eager to take numerous steps to stop it or clean up afterward, let's not burden homeowners with fines over this. They've already been victimized.

Our Opinion:
THe Issue:

A proposed ordinance would fine people who don't clear graffiti in 10 days.

Our Opinion:

Let's not burden homeowners by victimize them twice.

[IndyTransplant]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54891.57

"Nelson said graffiti removal kits are not yet available, but would be available if the council adopts the ordinance.

She said the intention of the ordinance is for the city to provide graffiti removal kits at a cost of $25.

The city would provide kits free of charge to property owners who can demonstrate they can't afford to pay for them"

What items are the graffiti removal kits going to contain? IMO, paying for a Bureaucracy to put together "graffiti removal kits" and also to determine if someone cannot afford them could cost more than allowing victims of graffiti to pick up coupons, gift cards or certificates at city hall or the police station to purchase specific items needed for clean up. Perhaps a public/private partnership with local hardware outlets would help.

Even that idea is far from perfect. Many ill, disabled and/or elderly residents may not have the physical abilities to do their own clean up.

Just a thought.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=48344.04

Free graffiti-removal kits in works
MICHIGAN CITY - Fifth Ward City Councilman Willie Milsap said Tuesday he plans to make free graffiti-removal kits available to homeowners in his ward whether the City Council adopts a graffiti ordinance or not.

He and at-large Councilwoman Angie Nelson have proposed an ordinance that would provide graffiti removal kits for $25, and fine property owners who don't clean graffiti off within 10 days.

The provision for fines has generated a number of calls to his ward office from constituents, Milsap said, so he decided to offer the removal kits as a way of solving the problem rather than penalizing people.

"Don't worry about the fine because we're going to make it so you don't have to worry about the fine," he said he is telling people.

The fine was included only to "cover all our bases from a legal standpoint," he said.

"The average person deals with graffiti right away," but some don't, and that's who the fine is aimed at. "Most people aren't going to leave a big black X on their garage forever."

Milsap said he will fund the purchase of graffiti removal kits from his salary and ward fundraisers.

"We feel this program will eliminate the financial burden of the cleanup kit, and with manpower permitting we will also assist with the removal of such graffiti," Milsap said.

"I feel strongly that in the Fifth Ward it is more important to remove the blemish than to punish the homeowner," he said, "and that is why my office has developed this program in an effort to address any graffiti issue if it happens within my ward."

Any homeowner who has been victimized by graffiti should go to the Fifth Ward Neighborhood Office, 1401 E. Michigan Blvd., and fill out a request for service form, he said.

The program is for homeowners, not landlords or business, who Milsap said can afford the cost of graffiti removal.

[lovethiscity]

I was up at the lake over the weekend, and the amount of spray paint on the lighthouse was horrible. Its sad people don't have anything better to do than to ruin things for everyone else.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=42203.22

What is even more sad, is our Civic leaders absolute inability to realize that the GRAFFITI is but a symptom of a much bigger problem. Southsider you hit it on the head, these kids have nothing better to do. Neighborhood parks sit empty, baseball and soccer have been shipped out of town to Patriot Park. The city is spending $250,000 on golf carts this year, $250,000 on the Guy Foreman band shell this year, close to $1,000,000 on a water park by the beach. Watch for some new vending carts at the beach this summer as well. Between 12 and 20 forget any idea of this group coming up with a sound idea that will benefit all Michigan City residents.

[Homey]

If I remember correctly, the bandshell had a major renovation within the past 10 years and I believe some of the money used was from the historic society or something similar. I wonder if it's structural or just a facelift?

[IndyTransplant]

If I remember correctly, the bandshell had a major renovation within the past 10 years and I believe some of the money used was from the historic society or something similar. I wonder if it's structural or just a facelift?

Park amphitheater slated for upgrades
Author: Joseph Malan
Publish Date: April 6, 2009
Word Count: 288
Document ID: 127938636FFAAB48

MICHIGAN CITY - The Guy F. Foreman Memorial Amphitheater in Washington Park may soon experience several upgrades. Jan Orlich, Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department superintendent, said the upgrades will provide an excellent face lift to make the outdoor amphitheater more appealing. The upgrades will be made during the summer. Orlich estimated the cost to be between $200,000 and $300,000.


This is a synopsis of a story in the ND April 6th. I do not have a copy of the full story.

[Homey]

Thank you!

[Michelle]

From what I remember, they're going to install new seating (either bench or actual seats depending on the cost) and make a sloped or tiered picnic area for people to spread out blankets and watch. They were also going to put in new stage lighting.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...38&TM=34660

City lighthouse has its own graffiti
With all the concerns about graffiti in our city, who pays to take care of the lighthouse? I was out there and saw graffiti on the lighthouse. Is the city fining itself? How can the city fine property owners for graffiti, when they have graffiti?

Jim Orzech

Michigan City