The Team Picayune Clean Up Committee, chaired by Ray Mitchell, met at the Intermodal Transportation and Tourism Center last Thursday. The committee strategized on many items to kick off its campaign to clean up the city and beyond.

Mitchell said, “We need to educate people on the litter. For example, many people don’t consider throwing their cigarette butts out the car window as littering but it is and when the city goes to mow the grass, the remaining butts explode into a big mess of paper that blows everywhere. There are also those who throw wrappers and such into the bed of their truck and it blows out as they drive down the highway. These are the little things which add up to a big problem unless people begin to care.

“Some community members and business owners take personal responsibility for their community and clean up behind others who don’t seem to care. A good example of this is the Boley Creek Group. Unfortunately, these are not the people littering. If we can stop the littering then we can enjoy a clean community that appeals to those looking to relocate their families.”

In addition to community litter education, which they plan to introduce into the elementary schools, the group has also aligned itself with recycling to encourage further positive ways to impact the environment.

Through a Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality grant last year, the city was able to purchase a 4,500 recycling receptacle to accept paper and plastic. Goss said that the city hopes to purchase further receptacles as the proceeds from recycling allow.

The Cooper family is partnering with the city to encourage recycling and are hosting the bin on their property, which is at the old First National Bank site, by Roseland Park Baptist Church.

Goss is currently available to speak to groups on recycling options in Picayune.

The Clean Up Committee also tackled potential changes to city ordinances which could be enforced through fines if someone was caught littering. They reviewed ordinances enforced in other cities and will reconvene to discuss their findings.

Littering will also be addressed on the city website and will be linked to the Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on either the recycling program or drop sites, contact the City Hall Public Works Department by dialing 311.