Volunteers for Keep Duncanville Beautiful, chaired by longtime community leader Bobby Cutler-Hill, don’t mind rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. Whether it’s picking up litter at local parks, teaching schools and civic organizations about recycling, they do whatever it takes to keep their surroundings cleaner and greener.
Since the group was formed by Duncanville City Ordinance September 17, 2002, their efforts have garnered positive results for the community. When the City of Duncanville was recently awarded Scenic City Certification for the first time, Duncanville City Planner Chasidy Benson said, “The fact that we have an active Keep Duncanville Beautiful Organization is also a plus factor (in gaining Scenic City Certification).”
In order to keep their affiliation, seven KDB members attended a Keep America Beautiful workshop August 11. Members attending were Bobby Cutler-Hill, Barbara McComb, Liz Smith, Lee Burton, Sylvia Clark, Mary Ann Taylor, and Margaret Shrum.
The workshop was conducted by Cecile Carson, Vice Chair of the NCTCOG Resource Conservation Commission. She discussed the new Keep America Beautiful Behavior Change System and explained strategies that get best results for the program. Other topics included Signature Keep America Beautiful Programs and Initiatives, Affiliation Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities, and Goal Setting and Visioning. At the conclusion of the training, Ms. Carson congratulated the board on their successes and presented them with a plaque certifying affiliation with Keep America Beautiful.
Keep Duncanville Beautiful, along with neighboring Best Southwest cities Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Glenn Heights, and Midlothian, is also an affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful. Their mission is to make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation.
Cutler-Hill said, “Keep Texas Beautiful promotes keeping communities litter-free, preserving our natural environment, and educating the public about their mission. Successful programs such as Adopt-a-Highway (AAH) has used volunteers to help keep litter off state-maintained roadways for over 30 years. Texas Adopt-a-Highway volunteers from an estimated 3,800 groups manage ten percent of highway pickups, saving the state between $3 and $4 million each year.”
Duncanville Parks Superintendent Timothy Hamilton serves as staff liaison for Keep Duncanville Beautiful.
KDB Chair Bobby Cutler-Hill said, “Timothy Hamilton does an outstanding job as Staff Liaison to Keep Duncanville Beautiful. His enthusiastic leadership and guidance has resulted in our gaining Affiliate status in Keep America Beautiful, of which we are very proud. Very well organized, he facilitates communication between the Board and City for events such as the Texas Trash Off and Operation Clean Duncanville. His expertise contributes greatly to the success of the Board’s many projects.”
