Councilman Pooped After Cleanup

By ANDREA AUSTIN

Pedestrians no longer have to deal with piles of bird droppings, thanks to Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer who helped Wildcat and Fedcap workers clean beneath the Pulaski Bridge Thursday in Long Island City.

Van Bramer, city councilman for the 26th District- which serves Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside and Woodside- helped clean the wall and sidewalk beneath the bridge at 50th Avenue as part of a larger effort to keep the neighborhood clean and offer free graffiti removal. Complaints were made to his office regarding the massive amount of bird droppings people had to walk through on their daily commutes. Workers would be back in two days to remove the graffiti, said Mario La Rosa, manager of operations for Fedcap.

Wildcat and Fedcap are non-profit organizations that receive funding through clean initiatives and provide jobs and resources for those who face employment barriers such as being ex-offenders, homeless, or having physical and mental disabilities. The organizations work with city agencies to solve complaints like trash and graffiti removal. They also help clean and maintain neighborhoods, streets, public parks, and large outdoor areas.

La Rosa stressed the importance of reporting problems to 311 and said the complaint is more likely to be addressed when reported by a number of people.