ARLINGTON — The city honored citizens who took time to clean up their community, as Vicky McMurray and Jennifer Smith were lauded by Mayor Barbara Tolbert June 6.

Tolbert explained that McMurray had adopted, “One Tag, One Fence, One at a Time,” as her motto for graffiti cleanups.

“It’s the little things we do that help make us one of America’s best communities,” Tolbert said. “Under Vicky’s supervision, crews of kids and parents went out to paint-out graffiti. It teaches our kids that community heroes come in all shapes and sizes.”

McMurray took advantage of the attention to share credit with her volunteers, calling them to the front of the City Council so she could present them with certificates. Even Tolbert received one, since she’d taken part.

Jennifer Smith recalled how she’d met with Tolbert in December of 2014 to discuss ways of reducing crime in the city, particularly retail theft, and then in September of 2015 with then-Deputy Chief Jonathan Ventura about taking back the streets from transients and panhandlers.

“We did a lot of research in similar communities,” said Smith, who concluded in February this year that an effective first step would be a cleanup of the Smokey Point retail area.

When the idea was pitched during a community meeting March 30, it proved so popular that an event page was created for it on Facebook the next day.

Smith enlisted business partners, including local landscaping firm Brisbin Projects, and by the day of the cleanup May 14, had expanded the cleanup sites from three to five, even while finishing their work two and a half hours ahead of schedule.

“The Smokey Point Safeway cooked meals for us all day long,” said Smith, who acknowledged that much of the cleanup work took place near the store.

“I’m always so honored when the city is able to help bring citizens together,” Tolbert said. “It’s really the right approach.”

Tolbert predicted both the paint-out and the cleanup would become annual events for Arlington.