Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Director Lynne Hart is asking City Council members to join with her organization in cleaning up the city—in effect, put their money where their mouths are.

At a recent City Council meeting Councilman Ronnie Marks complained about the unsightly areas of Athens and how litter puts a bad face on the community for those trying to recruit industry or for new residents headed here through the Base Realignment and Closure Act.

Other councilmen agreed there are many unsightly areas. At least two councilmen—Marks and Council President Harold Wales—said they had campaigned for office on promises to clean up the city.

On Monday, Hart appeared before the council with a nine-point litter program, the first point of which was for the city to appropriate $8,000 to KALB to manage an “Adopt-A-Spot” program.

“We have chosen 15 high-litter areas in the city,” said Hart. “We are asking non-profit, civic, church or school organizations to clean up these areas. In return, KALB would make donations back to the adopting group.”

Hart said in the seven years she has headed the organization, she has found that groups working on a volunteer basis have not provided a consistent means of keeping the roadside litter-free. She said adding a cash incentive for groups that have to do fund-raising would help the effort.

“I strongly believe that volunteers and KALB alone cannot do this,” Marks said.

Councilwoman Millie Caudle agreed with Marks that the job requires more muscle.

“We need to get together with the police and courts to enforce the ordinances we have,” she said.

Marks presented a six-point plan that includes:

• Making sure the most-recently approved city litter ordinance is posted on the city Web site, in newspapers and other visible areas

• Working inmates three days a week and the city approving extra money to pay supervisors to watch them.

• Asking the city Sign Department to make 10 or more no-littering signs that include the penalty for littering.

• Making sure all city vehicles that haul trash have appropriate covering for their loads.

• Asking the county to join with the city to provide resources such as inmates.

• Appropriating money for KALB.

Marks said he would have City Attorney Shane Black look at the recommendations for liability issues.

Wales said he would call a work session of the city, county and KALB to work out combining Hart’s and Marks’ plans.