CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake is experiencing ongoing issues with vandalism at city-owned parks, which is necessitating some limitations on facility access and costing the city thousands of dollars for repairs.
City Manager Greg Folsom brought the latest round of vandalisms to the Clearlake City Council's attention on Thursday.
Folsom said vandals “created havoc” last week at park facilities including the restrooms at Redbud Park, where toilets were torn off the hinges.
As a result, he informed council members that the city had immediately implemented nighttime closures for all park restrooms, with Public Works staff locking them at 4 p.m. daily.
He also received council consensus to have a discussion about park security in the near future.
“It's costing us so much money,” Folsom told Lake County News after the meeting, adding that he was at his wit's end over the situation.
City officials said vandals have done everything from actually busting toilets to pieces to shoving dog waste bags from the parks down the toilets to cause them to back up.
“This happens all the time,” Clearlake Public Works Director Doug Herren told Lake County News on Monday.
In addition to last week's serious damage at Redbud Park, Herren said the park's restroom facilities were again vandalized on Sunday night, with a toilet once again ripped off its hinges and the pipes broken.
Until arrangements can be made with the Clearlake Police Department, Herren said he has no other option but to have his staff lock the bathrooms from 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. That, he added, will impact the fishermen who use the park at all hours.
The damage – from repairing broken toilets and valves to removing graffiti and replacing sprinkler heads – is proving expensive for the city, Herren said.
“So far this year, our budget for buildings and ground is $10,000,” he said. “We've burned through 50 percent.”
He said his staff estimates they're spending anywhere between $150 and $300 a week in repairs.
“I don't understand why. I don't get it,” Herren said.
Herren said they so far have no clues as to who is responsible for the damage – whether it's transients, gang members or others who frequent the park. His staff has tried outreach to all of them.
If people want to enjoy their parks, they need to take care of them. “We encourage people to let us know when vandalism is going on,” Herren said.
Anyone who has information about the vandalisms or witnesses any destructive activities at the parks is asked to call the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Park vandalism proves expensive for city of Clearlake
- Elizabeth Larson
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