OAKLAND, Ore. (KMTR) -- Since May, the City of
Oakland has experienced quite a bit of vandalism. The mayor says it's actually the most vandalism she's had to deal with in her four years of service.
The primary target has been the city's most prominent park, Oakland City Park. Graffiti is, of course, a big culprit but those costs are not as high as others. The Oakland City Park has a big pavilion and is well lit but there have been many attacks on the park's lights. The park's electrical boxes were also destroyed, racking up bills so high the city is not able to replace them.
"We kind of budget a little bit for vandalism, but as much as we've had to pay out this year," says Mayor Bette Keehley. " . . . we're kind of at a place now, where our parks are going to stay the way they are. We're not going to be able to improve them or add anything wonderful because we don't have any money left."
Electrical damages would cost the city over $2,000. One of their two surveillance cameras was also destroyed which would cost nearly $1,000 to replace. These are only some of the vandalism costs the city is facing.
They've started to work with the high school more to stop the graffiti. The city hopes that getting students involved will lessen the paint damage. As for the electrical boxes, the city assumes those were the work of people seeking copper wire and are still brainstorming ways to fix that problem.
