Keep Rutherford County Beautiful Full Committee Meeting

Keep Rutherford County Beautiful Full Committee Meeting Notes

July 22nd Rutherfordton Town Hall, 12 p.m.

Attendees: Dr. Brock Hefflin, Jenna Bailey, Robin Worchester,

Jerry Stensland, Amber Saint Clair, Daphne Homen

I. Administrative

A. AmeriCorps Project Conserve Update

1. ROC will not be getting an AmeriCorps due to instability with the program

II. Programs and Events

A. YouthWorks Partnership

1. River Creek Campground Cleanup

2. Poor’s Ford Cleanup

3. Pollinator Garden

4. Thermal Belt Rail Trail Cleanup

a) 1100 lbs River Creek Campground

b) 165 lbs Thermal Belt Rail Trail

c) 255 lbs Private River Front Property

B. Pollinator Garden

a) Moved 3.5 tons of gravel and rock

b) Planted an additional 13 donated native plants

c) Approximately 63 flowering plants

d) 35 Volunteers

e) 385 Volunteer Hours

C. River Sweeps

1. Gray’s Rd to Coxe Rd

2. 221 to 221A

a) 19 Volunteers, plus staff

b) 580 lbs trash and debris removed

III. Future Programs

A. Cigarette Litter Prevention Program

1. $5,000 grant awarded!

2. Discuss locations, marketing, and plan for program during next Litter Committee meeting

a) Opportunity for billboard

b) Opportunity to recruit volunteers

c) Cigarette litter tracking/Receptacle Tracking

d) Proposed Locations: Coxe, Gray’s, 221, 221A, River Accesses, Thermal Belt Rail Trail, downtown areas, Suggestions?

B. Litter Bowl

1. NCDOT’s Fall Sweep dates: Sept 13th - 27th

2. Proposed Litter Bowl dates based on school feedback: Sept 19th - 29th

IV. Upcoming Schedule

A. Broad River Sweep: River Rd to Gray’s Rd on July 26th

a) 100 lbs of trash/debris removed!

B. Broad River Sweep: River Creek Campground to River Rd on August 23rd C. Litter Committee Meeting - August 19th at 12pm

1. Meet to plan for Litter Bowl and Cigarette Litter Prevention Program

Notes:

Litter Bowl

• Schools should be responsible for 50% of their own trash pick up

Paint It Blue

• Flower Garden revamp prior to event week -

• Schedule volunteer day for students

  • Possibly Sept 8th at 3:00/3:30

  • Week of Sept 15th there will multiple events for R/S Central Centennial - Sept 18th is Centennial Day

RecycleBots

• Allie and Daphne will be working on RecycleBot task lists, syllabi, forms, admin efficiency, hour commitment data, and an overall plan for better distribution of tasks and time

• Utilize makerspace’s at new Spindale Library and Kidsenses