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June 16, 2007
By LESLIE KORNGOLD
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 16, 2007)
NEW ROCHELLE – City officials seeing red—and other colors—have a clear message for graffiti vandals.
"Beginning today, it will be our policy to remove all graffiti on public property within 48 hours of our learning about it and to issue violations for graffiti on private property, also within 48 hours of notification," Mayor Noam Bramson said yesterday in announcing an initiative for the timely removal of graffiti. "... We'll erase it quickly and without exceptions."
Two part-time employees who will work nine months out of the year have been hired by the Department of Public Works to join two full-timers to handle the graffiti.
"This provides a focused solution to the problem," said Jeffrey Coleman, commissioner of the Department of Public Works. "Graffiti removal will be accommodated by one entity."
He and City Manager Charles Strome said the DPW would work with property owners victimized by graffiti vandals. Strome said the city would use its abatement authority to clean private property, if the owner did not do so within a reasonable time, and would bill for the service. It may be cheaper for the city to do it than for the property owner to pay for a private service, Strome said.
"We will work with each individual property owner. The goal is not to penalize, but to get the city cleaned up," Coleman said.
The DPW plans to work with other public entities that own property in the city, such as the U.S. Postal Service to allow the city to clean graffiti-plagued mailboxes, he said.
Michael Dandry, whose family has owned property in New Rochelle for 70 years and who is concerned about parking his car at the Church-Division Street garage because of graffiti, asked city officials why owners of private property should have to incur the cost of cleanup and whether the city would put up cameras to deter further vandalism.
Strome said the courts would have to determine restitution. The mayor indicated that the use of cameras was another topic.
"I have a big stake," said Judith Weber, owner-developer of the Media Loft, a residence and work space on Webster Avenue that is exclusively for artists. "I will feel thrilled and I would hope over time it works."
Inviting the community to assist the city, the mayor urged people to call the city manager's office at 654-2140 to report the location of any graffiti.
"The benefits of this new policy are obvious: a community that is cleaner and more attractive, neighborhoods that are more livable and commercial areas that are more inviting to shoppers," Bramson said.
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