By Rebecca Cook
BY ALMOST ANYONE'S estimation, Tucson's Graffiti Abatement Program (GAP) has racked up some impressive successes over the last year. Just a glance at the program's record for this month alone shows how seriously and effectively GAP, under the auspices of the Crime Prevention League, is dealing with the problem.
On Saturday, February 4, GAP completed the largest single-day "graffiti paint-out" project in the city's history. No doubt spurred on by GAP's accomplishments, the Pima County Board of Supervisors, on February 7, authorized staff to come up with an ordinance for graffiti abatement similar to the city's. The next day the Tucson Citizen prominently featured a guest editorial by GAP director Jack McReynolds about the plague of graffiti that afflicts our community and what citizens can do to combat this blight.
Obviously, this program, which is a model that many other cities in the country are interested in emulating, was doing something right. And when asked, most people said GAP director McReynolds was the reason why.
So, imagine the dismay when McReynolds was forced out of his job and into the unemployment line last week. Whatever happened to, "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It?"
Over at city hall, at least a few of the council offices were buzzing about McReynolds' sudden departure. The city, which pours more than $12,000 a month into the GAP program, has a vested interest in its continued success.
"I don't know what happened over there, but I'm extremely upset that Jack has left," said Lyn Wilson, an aide to Councilman Bruce Wheeler. "What Jack accomplished has been remarkably great for the city. This office has done nothing but sing his praises. I mean, the guy is a saint. He's even gone out to paint over graffiti himself."
Interestingly, Crime Prevention League Director Linda Morse, who said McReynolds was fired because of "differences in the office that could not be resolved," described McReynolds' position primarily as that of a "spokesman" for GAP.
She attributes many of the program's successes to city funding, the inherent strength of the program itself and strong community support.
"It wasn't Mr. McReynolds necessarily," said Morse in response to a question about GAP's accomplishments. "The program has been successful all along. It was when the city council took over the program and decided to fund it that the program took off. That was the difference."
Wilson, however, disagrees with Morse's analysis.
"Nothing got done prior to Jack's taking over," she said. "He went at the thing like gangbusters and suddenly lots of things were being accomplished. Jack was very very popular around here."
Neil Gudgel, of Southwestern Paint Stores, which has contributed about $30,000 worth of paint and supplies to the program after an initial contact was made by McReynolds, also disputes the accuracy of the "spokesman" moniker for the former director.
"That's about as far from the truth as you can possibly get," said Gudgel, who also happens to sit on the board of directors for the Crime Prevention League. "Jack has been active with the program from its very inception. He's the very backbone of the program."
And what does McReynolds have to say about his termination?
"There were some serious professional differences between myself and the director of the Crime Prevention League, as well as some severe inequities in personnel practices that accounted for my departure," he said.
McReynolds will not comment on the rumors the real cause of his dismissal was jealousy fueled by the very successes others applaud him for.
For now, all McReynolds will say is that he wants it made clear he didn't leave his job willingly.
"I was ejected," he said. "I guess one should always remember to keep one's seat belt on while in the office."
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