BENTON – Dennis Foust, Marshall County Parks Director, updated the Fiscal Court Tuesday on the progress of cleanup efforts from the vandalism that occurred at Mike Miller Park in the early hours on Sunday morning, September 11th, that included spray paint graffiti obscenities and what Foust described as “dark” satanic type graffiti.
Bathrooms were vandalized and a couple of the monuments at the veterans plaza were spray painted with obscenities, along with lights destroyed.
“Most of it we are now in the process of painting over and cleaning up”, Foust said. “We have the okay from the Sheriff’s Office to go ahead and start the clean up. We covered the most objectionable things until the Sheriff’s Office had all the evidence they needed for their investigation. I can’t speak for the Sheriff’s Office, but I think they are comfortable with where it’s (investigation) going and I’m very hopeful that they will be able to catch, what we think is a couple of people.”
Foust said there are cameras in the park and pretty good pictures were obtained from them. Other evidence also links certain individuals to the vandalism.
Foust said he is very appreciative of those in the community who have volunteered to help with the cleanup but said that their work crew has everything under control.
Cape Electrical Supply has approached the county to donate replacement lights for the Veterans Plaza, the paint supplier is donating paint, Norwood Electric has volunteered labor for electrical work, Clean Earth is donating clean up supplies and Foust said they appreciate all the support from these businesses and others still to come.
Foust asks the community to be patient as they get things cleaned up, which he said will take a few days.