RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-167

A resolution recognizing Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup and designating March, April and May 2016 as “Great American Cleanup Months” in Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

WHEREAS, Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program, takes place annually in the spring, from March 1 through May 31, it is estimated that more than three million volunteers of all ages will be taking on the nationwide challenge to "pick up, spruce up, and paint up" during the Annual Great American Cleanup; and

WHEREAS, the Metro Beautification and Environment Commission, a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, will assist volunteers in communities throughout the area of the Metropolitan Government as they join together to help cleanup unsightly litter and debris as the annual Great American Cleanup gets underway in Nashville and Davidson County during the months of March, April and May 2016; and

WHEREAS, Metro Beautification and Environment Commission has adopted the slogan “Keep Nashville Beautiful” to raise the awareness of the public’s civic responsibility to show love for their community by help keeping it clean; and

WHEREAS, Keep America Beautiful is a non-profit organization whose network of local, statewide and international affiliate programs educate individuals about litter prevention and beautification and ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and properly manage waste materials; and

WHEREAS, under the organization and leadership of the Metro Beautification and Environment Commission, local activities this spring will include roadside cleanups, illegal dumpsite removals, recycling events, waterway cleanups, graffiti abatement, illegal sign removal, park cleanup, tree and flower beautification, consumer clean-up education in schools and at community meetings and removing litter and winter debris from neighborhoods, parks, playgrounds, schools and other public lands; and

WHEREAS, volunteers know they really make a visible difference in Nashville and in their communities, as evidenced by the 2,700 volunteers participating in 185 events and collecting 408,000 pounds of roadside trash and debris during the three months of the 2015 Great American Cleanup, and it gives a new sense of hometown pride and accomplishment, setting an example that can help change attitudes about littering and even prevent litter in the first place; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council recognize the efforts of the Metropolitan Beautification and Environment Commission and Keep America Beautiful by designating the months of March, April and May 2016 as "Great American Cleanup Months" within the area of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY.

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as recognizing Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup and designating March, April and May 2016 as “Great American Cleanup Months” in Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Council Office is directed to prepare a copy of this Resolution to Beautification and Environment Commissioner Naomi Regensburg, Chair, on behalf of all the Beautification and Environment Commissioners and Sharon Smith, Director of the Metropolitan Beautification and Environment Commission Division of Metropolitan Public Works.

Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Karen Johnson, Tanaka Vercher, Jeremy Elrod, Burkley Allen, Colby Sledge, Davette Blalock, Mike Freeman, Doug Pardue, Russ Pulley, Mary Carolyn Roberts, Mina Johnson, Brenda Haywood