Mesquite, TX – April 5, 2021 – As the City of Mesquite announced its new Clean City Initiative, Mayor Bruce Archer proclaimed, “This is a new day in Mesquite, Texas to raise the level of civic pride in our city when it comes to keeping our community clean, free of litter and looking beautiful.” The plan is focused on an array of enhanced efforts including more public education, regularly scheduled litter programs, stronger enforcement tools and new beautification projects. The city has provided www.cityofMesquite.com/CleanCity for the public to learn about the initiative and to get involved.
To begin the initiative, the city released a new brand that will help promote the programs and efforts associated with the Clean City Initiative. The city is also making a push to recruit more volunteer groups for the April 24 Trash Bash event. Mayor Archer shared, “Trash Bash is a wonderful opportunity for families, neighbors, and groups to get outside and participate in a community litter cleanup event.” The public can visit www.cityofmesquite.com/TrashBash to register.
City Manager Cliff Keheley said, “We will educate, enforce and engage our community with the Clean City Initiative. It has new strategies and tools for a collaborative effort to address litter in public areas and community appearance. This will be the first step in a series, of long-range plans to elevate our partnerships with residents, businesses and community groups to change the culture and approach to help keep Mesquite looking good.”
Keheley explained that some of the plans include new Adopt a Spot Program for neighborhood groups, stricter enforcement of commercial landscape requirements, expanding the Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc. Yard of the Month Program and proposed revisions to the city’s solid waste ordinance to improve the use of proper trash placement by its customers.
Mayor Archer stated, “We know that a cleaner city as well as a more attractive city is not only good for fighting crime and a safer city, but it is also a city that has more opportunities for economic development and for a better quality of life for our citizens.”
The concepts for Clean City Initiative began in the fall of 2020 with a Clean City Task Force. It was led by Co-Chairs Dr. James Terry and Audwin Prince, and included members Bryan Odom, owner of Mesquite Print House; resident J.R. Black; LC Williams, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair; Ron Hall, Building Standards Board Member; Susan Erickson, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair; Susie Court, Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc. Chair; resident Tammy JoStrong; Mayor Bruce Archer; City Councilmember Tandy Boroughs; Cliff Keheley, City Manager; Elizabeth Harrell, Director of Parks & Recreation Director; Jasmine Ferrell, Storm Water Specialist; Kathy Fonville, Sustainability Coordinator; Maria Martinez, Director of Neighborhood Services; Ricardo Rocha, Environmental Code Manager and Selket Daese, Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc. Executive Director.
Mayor Archer concluded, “We are grateful for the work of the task force. They have given us the framework to build a great, sustainable program to help Mesquite become the cleanest city in America.”