The City of Watonga has learned it is a finalist for a $1,000 prize from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful as a result of the April Great American Cleanup.
City Manager Karrie Beth Little said the use of grant money really boosted the amount of trash the city was able to collect. Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority and the Department of Environmental Quality grants assisted with the cost of roll offs and overtime for city employees. With the added help, Watonga was able to expand Earth Day to two weeks of free dumping and branch out into collecting tires and batteries that were not accepted before. Building on that, a local company, A-Z Sales /NAPA was used to pick up the batteries and then was paid through the grant for the service.
Little said she has already applied for grants for the cleanup next year and is adding e-waste to the collections. E-waste consists of electronics such as cell phones, computers, microwaves and the like. A prescription takeback is also planned in conjunction with the cleanup.
The KOB award nomination was handed out on the amount of trash collected and reported in the Great American Cleanup wrap up report. Residents collected and turned in 520 tons of bulk junk, enough to fill 19 dumpsters. There were also 185 tires; 37 batteries; five super sacks of cardboard, totaling 250 pounds; two supersacks of type 1 plastics, or 30 pounds; tow supersacks of type 2 plastics, for another 30 pounds; and 16 Main Street flower beds were cleaned.
Dillon Wehba, with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, said the winner will be named at its annual banquet held in Oklahoma City in November.