Recent graffiti vandalism at the ballpark and numerous other areas around the village dominated much of the discussion at the Pine Prairie council meeting Thursday as Mayor Quint West defended himself against allegations made on social media.
“Now I know on Facebook we have been getting hammered a lot, but I think it’s unwarranted,” said Mayor West. “As for the vandalism, I can’t speak to that because, by law, the people need to realize as mayor I can’t do anything. I can’t tell the chief’s officers where to go and what to do. I can’t do that because he is an elected chief and that’s his department. I respect him, and I know he’s going to get the job done.”
The mayor added that he does not feel that the Facebook posts are justified. “I’m definitely not just sitting on my behind and not doing anything,” he said. “You can’t just wipe the damage out with a magic wand. It is hard to handle all these problems, but I feel like I’m doing a good job. We’re all doing what we can do, but things are going to happen.”
Police Chief L.C. Deshotel stated on the issue, “If the public would take their time and stay off Facebook to go look at other towns around Pine, then they would come back and appreciate what they got here.”
Mayor West stated that he along with the police department have viewed video surveillance footage of the vandalism that suggests different people who may have been involved. But, the problem is how to catch the suspects. “It’s hard to catch people like that, because you have to be there the moment they are doing it,” he commented. “And, then, if you’re patrolling, they can easily duck the patrols. We’re going to get them though.”
Some of the surveillance footage comes from cameras at Deville’s Grocery that show it was some teenagers who were involved in the acts of vandalism. “Brandi Deville at the store said the surveillance camera footage is pretty clear,” said Mayor West. “There is some footage of two suspects who are doing it. If those kids are under 17, then those parents are in some trouble too because they should not be out.”
These incidents have also brought about more talk of curfews within the village for anyone under 17 between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. As the mayor pointed out; however, the curfew is not being enforced.
Since the incidents took place, the mayor and his family have been doing their part in the clean up efforts. He stated at the meeting Thursday that he and his daughter had painted over the graffiti in front of Dana Galvan’s residence.
“My son-in-law Phil is going to bring his pressure washer because he’s got a good one,” said the mayor. “We can go to those places and try to wash the spray paint off, especially like at the store because it’s concrete. The post office is also concrete. Now as for the dugouts, I think the churches are getting the youth groups to come and pressure wash them, and they are going to repaint the whole dugouts as a mission to help out.”
On Friday, it was reported by the Pine Prairie Police Department that suspects in the spray painting incidents on the road, the post office, and Deville’s Grocery had been arrested. The suspects are juveniles and will soon meet with Mayor West who will give them community service. Their parents will also make them apologize to the victims.
The other suspect or suspects involved with the spray painting at the ballpark have yet to be identified.
The mayor during Thursday’s meeting also updated the council on what properties were cleaned over the last month. The properties include a trailer behind the mayor’s rent houses as well as the house across from the Methodist church. Other areas to be worked on are by the school and by Rush Funeral Home on Oak Street.
In other business, Chief Deshotel proposed the hiring of a police officer for nights and the purchase of another unit. To that, Mayor West replied, “You got to realize if we hire (another officer) and buy a unit, then you’re pushing it on your budget. And when you reach a certain percentage of (the budget), then you have to start letting your officers go. And that’s something I don’t want to do.”
The mayor told the chief that he will look into buying a new unit, but it might take some time. “We have to look at the finances and see what we can do,” said Mayor West.
Image
TONY MARKS Associate Editor