The Boys & Girls Club of San Gabriel Valley has for years provided West Covina with graffiti-removal services. The city pays about $109,000 a year to the nonprofit group, and some contend it is not holding up its end of the deal.

"I said if there wasn't any improvement, I would certainly bring this contract back for termination,' Councilman Roger Hernandez said at Tuesday's meeting. "I said I'd give the Boys & Girls Club a second chance. I gave them that chance and they failed.'

In a push that has the backing of one other City Council member, Hernandez said the group has not provided the color- matching or the response-time promises the contract between the city and the Boys & Girls Club dictates.

The result, he said, is "patchy work' that looks almost as bad as the graffiti itself.

Jack Gutowski, program director at the Boys & Girls Club, said the organization has provided the city with exceptional graffiti-removal services and is addressing color-matching complaints.

"We've painted thousands of feet of walls in West Covina with a certain color... to get a uniform look in those areas,' Gutowski said. "We endeavor to match as best we can. And if anyone calls and complains about the color matching, we go out and fix it.'

The city is paying $13,000 a year more to the Boys & Girls Club than it would have had it gone with private contractor, Urban Graffiti Enterprises.

"They're committing quicker response times, they're committing 100-percent color-matching,' Hernandez said of Urban Graffiti. "They're committing all-around better service.'

Although he had voted to go with the Boys & Girls Club about a year ago, he said he regrets that decision because the aesthetic quality of West Covina is suffering.

He brought the contract back to the council, but could not get the backing to terminate it. Mayor Mike Miller and Councilman Ben Wong voted to stay with the Boys & Girls Club, while Councilman Steve Herfert abstained.

Herfert said the issue has been raised at meetings three times, and all three times, the council opted to go with the Boys & Girls Club.

"I do not believe we should be reconsidering votes,' Herfert said.

Miller defended the club.

"I travel around the city, I turn graffiti in, and maybe ... 95 percent of time, the graffiti is down in 24 to 48 hours,' he said. "They do a heck of a lot more than is required by code.'

Thirteen complaints about the Boys & Girls Club have been filed with the city in one year's time, officials said.

Councilwoman Shelley Sanderson supported Hernandez's request, as she had voted a year ago to award the contract to Urban Graffiti a professional company whose quote was lower than the Boys & Girls Club.

"I think the Boys & Girls Club is doing a reasonable job. I think we could do better,' Sanderson said.

Hernandez said he is still thinking about whether or not he will bring the issue back at a later council meeting.

-- Christina L. Esparza can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2472, or by e-mail at christina.esparza@sgvn.com .