Giving the City Some Credit

This tag decorated the old Casa View branch one week ago. But no more, thanks to one fast-acting code compliance officer.

​As we mentioned last Tuesday the city council's Quality of Life Committee got 'round to discussing some tweaks the city needs to make to its graffiti ordinance, which isn't quite in compliance with state law. At which point Friend of Unfair Park Bill Holston, local attorney and KERA-FM commentary contributor, noted that about a week earlier, someone had tagged the old Casa View Library. And since the city hadn't yet given the graffiti a brush (that's the city's own slogan), he reported it himself.

And, lo and behold, it's all gone: Bill sends word this morning that, yes indeed, he did get a response from code compliance officer Cassandra Edwards, who sent a note confirming an investigation and a paint job. Says the missive Bill received this morning: "Thank you for contacting the City of Dallas, we appreciate and value your input. ... I appreciate your efforts that assist the City in making your neighborhood the best it can be. If you need further assistance from the Department of Code Compliance, please contact me at the telephone number listed below."

Writes Bill, "This really went well, [and] they deserve some credit for quick action." (Incidentally, that "Sex Me" tag on Walnut Hill is gone too. I already miss it.) Still, Bill's note reminds me: Back in June, Mary Suhm told Unfair Park that "I have a group of cultural nonprofits looking at the Casa View library," which is a twin of the also-empty Walnut Hill branch. I've left a message with Suhm to see if there's any update. Gotta be cheaper than sending someone out to repaint the library every time it's tagged.