October 8, 2014
City wins prestigious Keep Texas Beautiful award
MURPHY (October 8, 2014) The City’s commitment to maintaining a litter-free, attractive community with a substantial quantity of cultivated green space in its natural state has resulted in Murphy winning the Gold Star Affiliate designation from Keep Texas Beautiful, says Candy McQuiston.
“We have been working rather diligently toward that end,” she said. “For several years we have held trash-pickups, beautification programs, tree-planting events, instituted a street adoption program, wrote ordinances to fight litter, created a Green Team, enhanced public education and involvement, worked to clean up cemeteries, rehabilitated a historical structure and have elevated the work of Keep Murphy Beautiful. The result is a community that we all take great pride in calling home.”
And, apparently, Keep Texas Beautiful agrees.
The Gold Star Affiliate is the highest designation given by the statewide program, and of the 370 affiliate towns and cities throughout Texas, only 57 are awarded Gold Star status.
“There are certain criteria that we needed to meet,” she added. “We took that as a challenge because while winning the Gold Star status is very prestigious, knowing that Murphy is a community that is clean with parkland that is inviting and walkable is a reward in itself.”
To remain in good standing with KTB, affiliates must annually submit a report on their activities, pay dues, attend at least one training session and participate in at least one KTB-endorsed activity. Murphy regularly participates in the Don’t Mess With Texas trash-off among other state and national clean-up initiatives.
The concept of Gold Star recognition began in 2004 to reward those communities who sought to go above and beyond the established requirements. To achieve this status, Murphy was required to meet additional benchmarks, share the City’s mission and goals as they related to cleanliness and beautification, conduct educational programs and solid waste initiatives, participate in the Keep Texas Beautiful or Governor’s Community Achievement Awards programs, and provide a letter of support.
“We made the commitment to reach that level, and we did it,” she said. “Now it’s up to us to continue along that path.”
The City Council recognized the Green Team for their work in achieving the Gold Star status at a recent meeting.