Intersection cleanup handled 'in house' in Loomis

The Town of Loomis cleaned up the spray-painted intersection of Taylor and King roads without a costly contractor. It's been a longstanding tradition of nearby Del Oro High School seniors to annually decorate the intersection with graffiti to celebrate graduation. The ritual has, however, become a point of contention due to safety concerns and cleanup costs, officials said. "This year, the seniors' graffiti was excessive, with written foul language and inappropriate drawings," Town Manager Wes Heathcock said last month, adding that required safety striping was covered. Staff previously estimated the cost to apply the surface treatment, or a standard "Type II aggregate slurry seal" with refreshed striping, would cost up to $25,000, according to the report. But the small Town road crew cleaned up the intersection for roughly $5,000, said the manager. "A huge shout out to Public Works for taking this on and getting it done in house to save as much money as possible, " said Heathcock at the Aug. 12 Town Council meeting. "The cost to do the cover-up was about $5,000, compared to the original estimate we had, which was between $15 (thousand) and $25,000 to do the work." "It wasn't because we were incorrect in our approximation. It's just that we were doing different types of work," explained Mayor David Ring.