LEWISTON – Members of an alcohol recovery support group have voted to allow one of their outside walls to continue being used as a “graffiti wall” – but with conditions.

The 12 Hour Club voted Saturday to keep the wall, where graffiti artists are allowed to show off their work as part of an effort to prevent uncontrolled graffiti in the city.

Club members voted 30-6 to keep the graffiti wall going as long as they know who is allowed to use it and as long as those people ask permission from the club’s attendant before they paint.

The wall came up for a vote after club members complained that the group’s former president didn’t consult them before agreeing to let the wall be used as a designated spot for graffiti. They also objected to racist and sexist graffiti that appeared.

After the vote Saturday, the obscene graffiti was gone from the wall.

Instead, an American flag was painted on one end with names and initials covering the rest of the wall. In a few spots there were scrawled messages – “Thank you 12 Hour Club” – thanking the group.