City gets one bid for graffiti cleanup
By Fred Ortega Staff Writer


WEST COVINA - The city has received only one bid for its graffiti cleanup contract, and the cost is slightly more than what the previous contractor was proposing, West Covina officials said Wednesday.

The City Council voted to put the contract out to bid in September, arguing that Urban Graffiti Enterprise's proposal to extend the contract at $12,000 a month was too high. The council made its decision despite praises for Urban Graffiti's services by several residents, and a last-minute offer from the company to reduce its monthly charge to $10,000.

The sole bid for the new contract is from Superior Property Services Inc., which wants $11,340 per month, said Steve Samaniego, the city's environmental management director.

Councilman Mike Touhey, who voted to put the contract out to bid, said the offer is still lower than Urban Graffiti's original price, and that it clarifies the responsibilities the contractor must fulfill.

"They are asking them to do more than what Urban Graffiti was doing, including 24-hour removal," Touhey said. "Urban Graffiti would not work seven days a week. So the contract is being upgraded."

Urban Graffiti charged $8,000 a month under the last contract. But increased

calls made it impossible to continue providing service at that cost, said company President Juan Reinoso.
Reinoso, of West Covina, did not bid on the contract because he feels he was pushed out for political reasons, a charge Touhey and others have denied.

"We keep getting calls and have to continually let people know that we don't take care of it anymore," Reinoso said. "I think the city shot themselves in the foot here. Even if they offered me $30,000 a month I wouldn't take it."

The East San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club has taken over graffiti cleanup in the interim, charging $9,800 a month while a permanent contractor is found, Samaniego said.

But residents haven't been impressed by the club's services.

"When the Boys and Girls Club had the contract \, it was terrible," said Mike Rivera, who lives on Louisa Avenue. "They would come two weeks later, and when they did come they didn't use the right colors. They would leave a gray patch on a green wall, and it would look tacky."

He said Urban Graffiti always responded promptly and used adequate color matching.

"Now it is worse than before; they don't even come out," Rivera said. "There is graffiti up and down Lark Ellen, Puente and Amar. It is as if I live in a gang-infested area."

Boys and Girls Club officials did not return calls seeking comment. The club did not submit a bid, despite Reinoso's accusations it was favored by the city to receive the permanent contract.

The council will consider the new bid at its Dec. 5 meeting.

fred.ortega@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2306