Keep Tyler Beautiful received the 2008 Governor’s Community Achievement Award (GCAA) for outstanding community improvement at an awards dinner at the 41st Annual Keep Texas Beautiful Conference held June 26. The honor recognizes Tyler with one of the most celebrated annual environmental and community improvement awards in Texas and $130,000 from the Texas Department of Transportation for a landscaping project along a local state right-of-way.
Keep Tyler Beautiful applied for this award by submitting a six-page report and a 14-page scrapbook, describing the activities that took place in Tyler during the past year. Tyler was chosen for their achievements in seven environmental and community improvement areas including community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and cleanup, illegal dumping enforcement, beautification and property improvement, and solid waste management.
“We are so grateful that a panel of judges who are volunteers just like us, found Tyler deserving to receive this state award,” said Eloise Muxworthy, Keep Tyler Beautiful Board chair. “This is the first time our City has won and we want to make sure it is not the last.”
Projects that were highlighted in the 2007 report included:
- Tyler was designated an Azalea City by the Azalea Society of America;
- The city hired an arborist;
- The Solid Waste Department went to automated garbage collection;
- The pro-active code enforcement was launched;
- The city of Tyler Recycling Center partnered with Goodwill to provide electronic recycling to East Texas; and.
- The Neighborhood Empowerment Works program had amazing success in revitalizing two neighborhoods in Tyler, among other projects.
A video highlighting some Keep Tyler Beautiful project was featured at the awards dinner. This video can be viewed on Channel 3, My Tyler TV and will be shown at the City Council Meeting on July 9.
The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities for 39 consecutive years, with the Texas Department of Transportation providing prize funds since 1985. The Board will be creating a committee to work with TxDOT to select the $130,000 landscape project.
“The project could be a ‘Welcome to Tyler’ sign, native landscaping or a large mural along a state highway in Tyler,” said Kristi Boyett, Keep Tyler Beautiful board liaison.
Keep Tyler Beautiful also received the Gold Star Affiliate Award and the Sustained Excellence Award from Keep Texas Beautiful.
Board members are Eloise Muxworthy, chair; Susan Lucido, vice chair; Crystal Hampton, secretary; Marjorie Mustard; Pat Parsons; Lonnie Beasley; Kimberly Squyres, Kitty Springer, Shelley Mathis and Tony Hernandez. Kristi Boyett, special projects coordinator for Tyler Solid Waste, is the board liaison.
Keep Texas Beautiful, a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement nonprofit, strives to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment. KTB and its more than 350 affiliates work with government, businesses, civic groups, and volunteers to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit www.ktb.org.