Graffiti coalition ready to help with city clean up
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

The Moorpark Graffiti Coalition, formed in October 2007 by a group of community leaders to address growing vandalism, recently created a hotline for residents and business owners who've been affected by the problem.

The new (805) 523-1200 hotline was established to assist in removing graffiti from private property and from utility boxes at no charge, said Reggie Mercado, pastor of Fountain Foursquare Church and head of the coalition.

Once the coalition is notified about a problem, it will arrange for a team to clean up the area that's been hit, he said.

The Blight Lifters, composed of members of Fountain Foursquare Church, is now at the helm of the coalition. Earlier this year leadership was shifted to them from the school district, which needed to give priority to budget issues.

To maximize cleanup efforts, the coalition is seeking to attract other groups that have been working to eliminate vandalism in Moorpark.

"In order to be a true coalition we need to come together with a united plan and vision," Mercado said.

Authorities, city and school leaders as well as business leaders, service clubs and other religious organizations are invited to join the effort, he said.

"They're all pivotal in making the coalition an effective agency in the fight against blight," Mercado said.

The coalition plans to use a threepronged approach- education, eradication and communication- to get rid of vandalism in town.

Blight Lifters aims to network with groups such as the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark and the Moorpark Unified School District to teach young people in Moorpark that there is a better way of living than to give in to peer pressure that leads to mischievous behavior.

"I really appreciate the number of folks who are passionate about this issue and who are doing something about it," the pastor said. "Now if we can come together through the coalition, we'll have a much better chance at widespread impact."

The coalition only addresses graffiti on private property. The city and the school district will continue to address graffiti on their property.