Help Preserve the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission

Mary Mellein is a friend of mine who has run for office before and been involved in numerous Oconee County residents' efforts, and I generally support just about everything she does. I do not want to see the elimination of the Keep Oconee County Clean and Beautiful Commisson either and urge you to let your Commissioners know of your decision to support this important citizens committee. I also do not want to the Board of Commissioners jack up the registration fees for the Recreation Department activities either. I am afraid that is what they are going to do. Sounds like it is a job for our concerned voters to voice their opinions as soon as possible. The following was written by her:


--- On Wed, 6/17/09, Mary MELLEIN <mrmellein@bellsouth.net> wrote:

From: Mary MELLEIN <mrmellein@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Help Keep the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission
To: mrmellein@bellsouth.net
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 2:49 PM

Dear Friend,

 

I am writing to make you aware that our county Board of Commissioners will be voting next week, Tuesday, June 23, at its agenda setting meeting, on whether to reduce the county budget by $35,000.  This decision would eliminate the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission for which I am currently chair.  It is the work of this commission, which consist of an executive director and 12 volunteer member, that is responsible for the following programs:   Christmas Tree recycling Bring One for the Chipper, Old Phone Book Collection, County Litter Index, Adopt-A-Mile, Great American Cleanup, Adopt-A-Spot, Free Trees, Drive-In Litter Bags, Rivers Alive Clean up, Compost Bin Sale, Scrap Tire Amnesty, Electronics Recycling, Teacher Reuse Store, and Document Shredding.  

 

For Oconee County to have a KOCB Commission it must be an affiliate of the National Keep America Beautiful Inc.  To be an affiliate of the National we must have a fulltime executive director.   Currently, Mr. John McNally serves as Oconee County's executive director at a cost to the county of $35,000.  Last year the executive director's efforts brought $36,000 of grant money to our county.  The commission's compost bin sales brought in approximately $23,500 to the county.  These compost bins are sold at less than cost, resulting in a $30 to $50 savings to Oconee citizens.  It was Mr. McNally who was responsible for the development of the county's blue bag and recycling program.  This method of handling solid waste and recyclables has served as a model for a number of other counties in the state and reduces our county's landfill cost. 

 

The director and the commission provide numerous educational efforts including library displays, fall festival displays, and educational brochures on recycling, composting, water conservation, and litter prevention.   Also Mr. McNally and commission volunteers provide hours of education to school children and public organization on these same subjects as well as other volunteer work all of which benefit the county. 

 

With this email I am asking that if you value these programs to contact our BOC and let them know and come to the BOC meeting, June 23, in the county court house first floor.  Commission meetings start promptly at 7:00 pm.  The cost savings, the grants, and various program and services provided by our KOCB Commission more than cover our executive director's $35,000 salary.  These are hard times but, will eliminating this useful commission help or make anything better?  On the contrary, our county will lose.   Please help me fight for our Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission.  If you have questions or comments you can e-mail me or call me at 706-769-4236.

 

Mary Mellein

Chairperson Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission

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