Farmer said officers can’t make arrests for vandalism unless they personally observe it committed or someone signs a complaint.

“We try to patrol all areas of the city as much as possible and we’ve done some walk-throughs in the parks,” he said. “It’s going to take a community effort to stop [the vandalism].”

Fire Chief Ray Hammons said firefighters have gone to Norris Park on occasion and cleaned up after the vandals.

Other parents said they don’t allow their skateboarding children to go to the area the city is building as a skate park for safety reasons. They said paint huffers [inhalers], drunks, drug sales and other activity occurs in that area.

“The skate park is secluded,” said Bryan Jones. “It only draws people who want to be secluded.”

He suggested the people involved get to know each other and talk. He said he lives in Hulbert and works in Tahlequah. He said Hulbert has a good skate park that skateboarders use. He also downplayed the city’s use of an expert from Texas to design its skatepark and suggested asking the local skateboarders what they want.

“I was a party to bringing in that expertise,” Purdy said. “We had about 50-75 kids here at a meeting and we asked them. If you want to find fault with the way we did that, that’s your opinion.”

Jo Ashing said she also has problems with the skate park. She said she had more equipment in her back yard than the skate park has.

“None of us were perfect adolescents,” she said. “They think you’re trying to stifle them. Norris Park wasn’t put there for a chosen few.”

Lori Smiley said she supports a skateboard ban at Norris Park. She said the proposed ban isn’t for children, but rather for an item – skateboards. She said an incident mentioned earlier that occurred during the movies in the park involved skateboarders. She said a stronger police presence could help.

“We’re wasting a lot of money cleaning up debris,” she said.

Parks Supervisor Charles Poteet said the vandalism is higher at Norris Park than any other property his department maintains. Michelle Schmidt asked the council to remember that Norris Park is also near some bars.

Burright said he’s only heard the skateboarders say they’ve helped with clean up and suggested others help, if it’s a problem.

Purdy said no one has said the vandalism is exclusively because of the skateboarders.

“The city does have a problem with the vulgarity, profanity and profane graffiti in that area,” he said. “The people who complain to me, Mr. Smith and the police department tell us it’s the skateboard users.”