2018 Keep Utopia Beautiful Accomplishments
Community Leadership & Coordination (Administrative)
(KTB, GCAA; Contracts, Grants, Proposals; P&P Manual, Fundraising, and Volunteers)
▪ Conducted all monthly meetings (except May, June, August and November) of the KUB board, and held the 2018 Annual Board Retreat to review the year ended and plan for the upcoming year.
▪ Established new KUB Board meeting schedule by changing monthly meetings to an electronic meeting in May if needed, and no monthly meetings in June, August, and November.
▪ Reviewed the KUB Bylaws, job descriptions, and the mission and vision statements; and revised KUB Bylaws to allow electronic voting by board.
▪ Maintained organization of committees under the GCAA categories.
▪ Elected new board members and officers, and made committee assignments.
▪ Completed board affirmations and conflict of interest policy statements.
▪ Sent thank you letters/notes throughout the year to any donors and community members who helped KUB; sent thank you letter and $250 to the Utopia United Methodist Church for use of their facilities in calendar year 2017 and moved meeting location to the Senior Citizens Building.
▪ Two board members attended the Keep Texas Beautiful annual conference June 11-13, 2018 in Georgetown where board training was received on numerous topics.
▪ Four KUB Board members (BB, PD, LK, and SA) completed a Big Give seminar in San Antonio on January 26, 2018 to learn about the special day of giving for non-profits and to determine how to participate. (Six hours each for a total of 24 hours of training.)
▪ Three KUB Board members (BB, PD, and CR) completed a Big Give seminar in San Antonio on November 14, 2018 to learn about the special day of giving for non-profits and to determine how to participate.
▪ KUB board member attended Dark Skies/Night Skies meeting in Kerrville which was sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance on December 5, 2018 and is working with Lost Maples State Natural Area to become a certified Dark Sky park.
▪ On July 28, 2018, KUB Board Member completed one hour of training entitled Keep America Beautiful Reporting Dashboard 2.0 for State Leaders and Affiliates.
▪ On October 3, 2018 KUB board member completed the KAB Western Region Webinar series about KAB new reorganization.
▪ On June 19, 2018 a KUB board member attended a training session on Uvalde County Remarkable Riparian presented by Sky Lewey from the Nueces River Authority and sponsored by the Texas Hill Country River Region.
▪ On July 24, 2018 a KUB board member attended a 1.5 hour training session on river rights sponsored by the Texas Hill Country River Region.
▪ Former board member and contributing citizen attended the HEB and Hill Country Alliance sponsored seminar titled “Leading in the Rural Hill Country” which contained sessions on Using Your Board to its Full Potential, Maintaining Continuity in our Organizations, and Fundraising.
▪ Completed the 2018 Governor’s Community Achievement Award application and supplemental materials and submitted it by the February 6, 2018 deadline.
▪ Completed the Annual Report and the Gold Star status documentation by the March 16, 2018 deadline and maintained Keep Texas Beautiful Affiliate Gold Star status.
▪ Secured $6,000 in funding from Uvalde County to offset cost of labor at the Recycling Center.
▪ Former KUB board member who was a Recycling Committee member served on the Cooperative Teamwork Recycling Assistance (CTRA) board as an officer (secretary).
▪ Recycling Committee member (and former KUB Board Member) continued to participate in the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) and attended the annual conference in Corpus Christi in October 2018. STAR works on legislative and research issues and concerns to improve recycling rates, opportunities and efficiencies in Texas.
▪ Recycling Committee member (and former KUB Board Member) continued to serve on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) of the Middle Rio Grande Development Council (MRGDC). (Note: CR resigned 1-29-2019)
▪ Renewed Interlocal Agreement with Uvalde County in August 2018.
▪ Completed Keep Texas Beautiful surveys throughout the year such as the survey on KTB services to affiliates completed on October 31, 2018.
▪ Maintained KAB affiliate status as the nation’s smallest KAB affiliate. (Confirmed with KAB January 30, 2019)
▪ Earned the Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award recognition for work completed in 2018.
▪ On March 14, 2018 the Endowment Committee voted to diversify the Ameritrade investments by selling Exxon Mobil stocks and investing in Amazon, Ford, AT&T, and the S&P 500 Index Fund. The KUB Beautification Endowment Fund was established in late 2016 to be used for maintenance and enhancement of landscape and hardscape projects for which Keep Utopia Beautiful is responsible. Board adopted a resolution that the President, Vice President, and the Treasurer of this organization are fully authorized and empowered to open a brokerage account.
▪ KUB received a Certificate of Recognition from CTRA for Outstanding Recycling Efforts in 2017 which was presented by Rachel Hering at the KUB Board Meeting March 13, 2018.
▪ KUB presented the 2018 Award of Environmental Excellence to Billie Nast for her work with the school garden and a blackhaw tree was planted on the UISD campus the first week in December in her honor.
▪ KUB Treasurer worked with bookkeeper to maintain the organization’s books, ensure compliance with non-profit financial reporting, and assist the KUB Treasurer in reporting and developing the budget.
▪ KUB was recognized in 2018 by letter from KTB as the only affiliate to contribute funds ($250) in 2017 to the Hurricane Harvey Fund.
Public Awareness (Fall Fair; Website Development; Fundraising, and Volunteers)
▪ Participated in the 2018 Fall Fair on November 3rd where an estimated 2,000 people were reached by operating public information/public education booth on Stars Over Utopia and the KUB organization -- what KUB does – handing out portable ashtrays and promotional items (wildflower seeds packets with KUB printed on them); selling chances to win a few prizes for the KUB scholarship fund; and collecting donations in the amount of $118.
▪ During the Fall Fair, KUB worked with the 90 vendors and collected their cardboard for recycling; put out nine (9) Clear Stream receptacles for recycling by attendees; walked the grounds during the Fair and encouraged people to recycle; and collected nine (9) full Clear Stream receptacles of recycling at the end of the Fair.
▪ Updated the website throughout the year as needed based on projects and activities and received 11,479 unique visits.
▪ Facebook site/page, with more than 418 “likes” and 407 followers, was updated throughout the year as needed based on projects and activities.
▪ Displayed all the KUB awards received since the organization began in 2008 in a case at the Senior Citizens Building along with the KUB brochure which outlines the organization’s programs.
▪ Facilitated numerous newspaper articles and received/earned more than 159 column inches of coverage in area newspapers and a photo of a KUB landscape project in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine for a total estimated value of $21,000. Utopia was also covered in Texas Highways magazine.
▪ Facilitated project flyers throughout the year about KUB activities and programs; sent “Thank Yous” to volunteers, donors, and citizens who did activities consistent with KUB mission.
▪ On January 5, 2018 KUB board member gave a presentation on the Big Give to Senior Citizens Center officials and helped them develop a successful Big Give program where they won their category for 2018.
▪ Held a Volunteer Appreciation/Awards Luncheon on September 12, 2018 at the Senior Citizens Center with approximately 40 volunteers in attendance where special recognition was given for those contributing significantly. KUB promotional items, such as T-shirts and KUB volunteer stickers, were distributed. Total cost of Volunteer Luncheon was $1,001.63.
▪ Developed and printed two KUB banners which were hung on the fence at the Utopia Little League ball park for public education/awareness.
Education (Community/School Education & Outreach; Keyhole Garden; Stars Over Utopia Program; Watershed Issues; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Established a $1,500 KUB Scholarship for a graduating senior in 2019 which requires 50 volunteer hours at the recycling center, adopt-a-highway, or school garden and acceptance to an accredited college/university.
▪ Provided information to Utopia ISD about Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship and offered assistance with student applications.
▪ Provided information to Utopia ISD about KTB awards and offered assistance with student applications.
▪ Board member gave presentation to UISD teachers about the Waste-in-Place curriculum for secondary students which is progressive year-to-year and is all online and available to KAB affiliates.
▪ Distributed 2018 Don’t Mess with Texas calendars to the 3rd grade teacher, at the Fall Fair booth, and at the Recycling Center.
▪ Worked with the Utopia 7th grade class, Gang Green as they are known on campus, on recycling throughout the year, and advised the 7th Grade “Gang Green” for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years.
▪ Continued working with the school children on gardening and composting education. Six (6) volunteers worked 15 hours (2.5 hours each) cleaning the gardens and removing debris, weeds, and a tree on November 17, 2018.
▪ Continued Key Hole Garden with Utopia ISD and KUB; Kindergarten and 3rd graders weeded, mulched, and planted the garden during GUCU. Third graders planted tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage.
▪ Continued agreement to manage a fund, set up by a local resident, to incentivize people to change their outdoor lighting to dark sky approved lighting.
▪ Participated in the Big Give SA on March 22, 2018 where $12,690 was collected for the organization from 115 donors; won $3,000 in prize money because KUB collected the most in Uvalde County; publicized KUB’s participation in the Big Give SA on the KUB Facebook page; and educated the public and donors on KUB mission, programs, and activities. Net income after fees was $15,548.96.
▪ Two board members attended the Keep Texas Beautiful annual conference June 11-13, 2018 in Georgetown where board training was received on numerous topics.
Beautification and Community Improvement
(Town Beautification & Decorations; Maple Tree Project; GCAA Landscaping; GUCU; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Maintained the five (5) landscape projects and Town Square throughout the year by watering, mowing, weeding, and repairing them.
▪ Maintained the 63 Bigtooth Maple trees in the right-of-way along FM 187 south of town throughout the year – watering, weeding, mowing around the trees, and spraying for weeds and pests such as ants.
▪ Conducted the Great Utopia CleanUp in April 2018 in conjunction with the Great American CleanUp and Earth Day where more than 55 volunteers worked 146 hours to clean up 34,320 pounds of litter, debris and bulky waste.
▪ Submitted Great American CleanUp/GUCU report to KTB by deadline.
▪ Held Bulky Household Trash Day on Thursday, April 19, 2018 and continued the “repurpose station” for reuse of items. 14 volunteers worked a total of 76 hours where 11.25 tons of bulky household trash and 5.65 tons of scrap metal were collected; $400 in donations were received.
▪ Working with Lou Waters, completed repairs of the 2010 landscape project at the north “Y” which was damaged in an August 9, 2016 traffic accident.
▪ Cleaned the 2010 landscape project at the north “Y” in December after an accident knocking down part of the cedar post fence and some shrubs.
Litter Prevention & Clean Up; Litter Law & Illegal Dumping Enforcement
(Cigarette Butts; Adopt-a-Hwy; Trash-Off; First Monday Cleanups; Container Lending Program; Graffiti; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Renewed the Keep Utopia Beautiful Adopt-a-Highway contract with TxDOT for a two-mile section of FM 470 for the period of April 15, 2018 to April 14, 2020; changed the KUB adopt-a-highway section to a two-mile stretch of FM 187 North of Utopia to FM 470 (the Senior Citizens two-mile AAH stretch) in August 2018.
▪ Completed quarterly Adopt-a-Highway pickups – April 7, 2018 (7 volunteers/3 bags); August 8, 2018 (12 volunteers/5 bags); October 10, 2018 (11 volunteers/10 bags) and December 12, 2018 (12 volunteers/10 bags)
▪ Participated in the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off on Saturday, April 7, 2018 and received a Certificate from TxDOT for participation.
▪ UISD 3rd graders entered the Don’t Mess with Texas calendar contest.
▪ Emptied the Don’t Mess with Texas trash barrels placed in Town Square to collect trash throughout the year; put them to use at the Fall Fair.
▪ Completed First Monday Town Clean-ups for 10 months out of the year where 52 people spent 56 hours collecting 38 bags of trash
▪ Board members and citizens conducted additional trash/litter pickups throughout the year where 16 people spent 43.5 hours collecting 32 bags of trash.
▪ Completed the Keep America Beautiful Litter Index on September 24th, 2018 and tabulated figures resulting in a 1.130 Litter Index for the community, which is a slight improvement over the 1.34 Litter Index in 2017.
▪ Continued working with business owners to get cigarette disposal receptacles in front of their businesses and replaced ash receptacles as needed.
▪ Worked with the Texas Department of Transportation on the illegal dumping at a scenic overlook on FM 337 between Vanderpool and Leakey throughout the year and was instrumental in removing a number of tires and trash.
Solid Waste Management
(Bulb-Eater; Bulky Household; E-Waste; UR Operation; Drug Take-back; Oil Containment; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Operated the Utopia Recycles Center 52 weeks out of the year with 1,530 volunteer hours and served 4,039 customers.
▪ Continued the Clear Stream loan program; KUB volunteers handled recycling by maintaining and loaning Clear Stream containers, and sorting plastic, aluminum, cardboard and tin.
▪ Shipped 43.56 tons of recyclable commodities from Utopia Recycling Center in 2018 with net income of $4,130.33 in commodity sales.
▪ Collected donations at the recycling center.
▪ Continued collecting cardboard from commercial establishments in Concan at the County Citizen’s Collection Station in the custom-designed trailer. The County towed the trailer back and forth; UR unloaded the trailer.
▪ Valdez & Son Scrap Metal continued taking the tin cans as they did in 2017 since the value of steel had dropped so much that it would be an expense to KUB to ship them to the MRF. This allowed the UR to continue accepting cans at no cost to KUB.
▪ Advised citizens/recycling customers how to recycle computers and televisions since transportation costs for E-Waste are too high to provide this service at no cost.
▪ Held Bulky Household Trash Day on Thursday, April 19, 2018 and continued the “repurpose station” for reuse of items. 14 volunteers worked a total of 76 hours which yielded 11.25 tons of bulky household trash and 5.65 tons of scrap metal; $400 in donations were received.
▪ Recycled electronic waste collected on E-Waste Collection Days in 2017 by taking it to
Goodwill. The cost of recycling and shipping is in excess of the donated amount and collection of e-waste was not done 2018.
▪ Continued recycling used motor oil and petroleum fluids; 400 gallons of used petroleum-based automotive fluids were picked up May, 31, 2018. Also one drum of used oil filters was recycled at a cost of $45.
▪ Collected fluorescent bulbs for bulb eater – collected printer cartridges.
▪ Continued using hired contract worker, which had begun in October 2013, for Recycling Center.
▪ Repaired brown baler and installed new baler that was donated to the Recycling Center.
▪ Installed/built a new 20’x24’x10’ storage shed for commodities at the Recycling Center. Uvalde County installed the pad for the building and the total cost was $3,331.50.
▪ Continued Clear Stream recycling collection at the school with 10 containers in hallways at the school; students and staff were educated by the 7th grade Gang Green about how to properly use the bins. Gang Green manages the bins.
▪ Worked with the CTRA and the Carton Council to continue recycling cartons by working with the UISD cafeteria, the main source of cartons, and by accepting them at the Recycling Center on a regular basis. Continued program started when a $2,000 grant was received from the Carton Council in 2017 to assist with the carton recycling program and entered into a two-year agreement to educate and build awareness about carton recycling and to grow collection programs. CTRA is responsible for reporting to the Carton Council.
▪ Worked with Marsha Jo Sheedy to place 2 recycling bins in the Utopia Park which were purchased with the Keep America Beautiful Dr. Pepper/Snapple Park Recycling Bin grant for recycling bins in parks.
▪ Two shipments of batteries, both rechargeable and non-rechargeable, were shipped during 2018 in the on-going battery collection program.
▪ Installed a fire extinguisher and an AED (donated by EMS) at the Recycling Center; inventoried and restocked the First Aid Kit; and updated the Facilities Incident Management Procedure and Incident Report Form.
▪ Google Maps put the Utopia Recycling Center on their maps.
▪ In the Spring, Rachel Hering from CTRA was on a Keep Texas Beautiful webinar and talked about the Utopia Recycling Center.
▪ Retrained “leads” and volunteers at the Recycling Center.
▪ Was successful in getting Uvalde County to remove old tires from the Recycling Center which were causing a mosquito problem.
▪ Worked with Kevin Carr, Uvalde County Sheriff’s Deputy and Concan Volunteer Fired Department, to setup recycling for aluminum and number 1 plastic bottles in Concan.
(KTB, GCAA; Contracts, Grants, Proposals; P&P Manual, Fundraising, and Volunteers)
▪ Conducted all monthly meetings (except May, June, August and November) of the KUB board, and held the 2018 Annual Board Retreat to review the year ended and plan for the upcoming year.
▪ Established new KUB Board meeting schedule by changing monthly meetings to an electronic meeting in May if needed, and no monthly meetings in June, August, and November.
▪ Reviewed the KUB Bylaws, job descriptions, and the mission and vision statements; and revised KUB Bylaws to allow electronic voting by board.
▪ Maintained organization of committees under the GCAA categories.
▪ Elected new board members and officers, and made committee assignments.
▪ Completed board affirmations and conflict of interest policy statements.
▪ Sent thank you letters/notes throughout the year to any donors and community members who helped KUB; sent thank you letter and $250 to the Utopia United Methodist Church for use of their facilities in calendar year 2017 and moved meeting location to the Senior Citizens Building.
▪ Two board members attended the Keep Texas Beautiful annual conference June 11-13, 2018 in Georgetown where board training was received on numerous topics.
▪ Four KUB Board members (BB, PD, LK, and SA) completed a Big Give seminar in San Antonio on January 26, 2018 to learn about the special day of giving for non-profits and to determine how to participate. (Six hours each for a total of 24 hours of training.)
▪ Three KUB Board members (BB, PD, and CR) completed a Big Give seminar in San Antonio on November 14, 2018 to learn about the special day of giving for non-profits and to determine how to participate.
▪ KUB board member attended Dark Skies/Night Skies meeting in Kerrville which was sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance on December 5, 2018 and is working with Lost Maples State Natural Area to become a certified Dark Sky park.
▪ On July 28, 2018, KUB Board Member completed one hour of training entitled Keep America Beautiful Reporting Dashboard 2.0 for State Leaders and Affiliates.
▪ On October 3, 2018 KUB board member completed the KAB Western Region Webinar series about KAB new reorganization.
▪ On June 19, 2018 a KUB board member attended a training session on Uvalde County Remarkable Riparian presented by Sky Lewey from the Nueces River Authority and sponsored by the Texas Hill Country River Region.
▪ On July 24, 2018 a KUB board member attended a 1.5 hour training session on river rights sponsored by the Texas Hill Country River Region.
▪ Former board member and contributing citizen attended the HEB and Hill Country Alliance sponsored seminar titled “Leading in the Rural Hill Country” which contained sessions on Using Your Board to its Full Potential, Maintaining Continuity in our Organizations, and Fundraising.
▪ Completed the 2018 Governor’s Community Achievement Award application and supplemental materials and submitted it by the February 6, 2018 deadline.
▪ Completed the Annual Report and the Gold Star status documentation by the March 16, 2018 deadline and maintained Keep Texas Beautiful Affiliate Gold Star status.
▪ Secured $6,000 in funding from Uvalde County to offset cost of labor at the Recycling Center.
▪ Former KUB board member who was a Recycling Committee member served on the Cooperative Teamwork Recycling Assistance (CTRA) board as an officer (secretary).
▪ Recycling Committee member (and former KUB Board Member) continued to participate in the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) and attended the annual conference in Corpus Christi in October 2018. STAR works on legislative and research issues and concerns to improve recycling rates, opportunities and efficiencies in Texas.
▪ Recycling Committee member (and former KUB Board Member) continued to serve on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) of the Middle Rio Grande Development Council (MRGDC). (Note: CR resigned 1-29-2019)
▪ Renewed Interlocal Agreement with Uvalde County in August 2018.
▪ Completed Keep Texas Beautiful surveys throughout the year such as the survey on KTB services to affiliates completed on October 31, 2018.
▪ Maintained KAB affiliate status as the nation’s smallest KAB affiliate. (Confirmed with KAB January 30, 2019)
▪ Earned the Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award recognition for work completed in 2018.
▪ On March 14, 2018 the Endowment Committee voted to diversify the Ameritrade investments by selling Exxon Mobil stocks and investing in Amazon, Ford, AT&T, and the S&P 500 Index Fund. The KUB Beautification Endowment Fund was established in late 2016 to be used for maintenance and enhancement of landscape and hardscape projects for which Keep Utopia Beautiful is responsible. Board adopted a resolution that the President, Vice President, and the Treasurer of this organization are fully authorized and empowered to open a brokerage account.
▪ KUB received a Certificate of Recognition from CTRA for Outstanding Recycling Efforts in 2017 which was presented by Rachel Hering at the KUB Board Meeting March 13, 2018.
▪ KUB presented the 2018 Award of Environmental Excellence to Billie Nast for her work with the school garden and a blackhaw tree was planted on the UISD campus the first week in December in her honor.
▪ KUB Treasurer worked with bookkeeper to maintain the organization’s books, ensure compliance with non-profit financial reporting, and assist the KUB Treasurer in reporting and developing the budget.
▪ KUB was recognized in 2018 by letter from KTB as the only affiliate to contribute funds ($250) in 2017 to the Hurricane Harvey Fund.
Public Awareness (Fall Fair; Website Development; Fundraising, and Volunteers)
▪ Participated in the 2018 Fall Fair on November 3rd where an estimated 2,000 people were reached by operating public information/public education booth on Stars Over Utopia and the KUB organization -- what KUB does – handing out portable ashtrays and promotional items (wildflower seeds packets with KUB printed on them); selling chances to win a few prizes for the KUB scholarship fund; and collecting donations in the amount of $118.
▪ During the Fall Fair, KUB worked with the 90 vendors and collected their cardboard for recycling; put out nine (9) Clear Stream receptacles for recycling by attendees; walked the grounds during the Fair and encouraged people to recycle; and collected nine (9) full Clear Stream receptacles of recycling at the end of the Fair.
▪ Updated the website throughout the year as needed based on projects and activities and received 11,479 unique visits.
▪ Facebook site/page, with more than 418 “likes” and 407 followers, was updated throughout the year as needed based on projects and activities.
▪ Displayed all the KUB awards received since the organization began in 2008 in a case at the Senior Citizens Building along with the KUB brochure which outlines the organization’s programs.
▪ Facilitated numerous newspaper articles and received/earned more than 159 column inches of coverage in area newspapers and a photo of a KUB landscape project in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine for a total estimated value of $21,000. Utopia was also covered in Texas Highways magazine.
▪ Facilitated project flyers throughout the year about KUB activities and programs; sent “Thank Yous” to volunteers, donors, and citizens who did activities consistent with KUB mission.
▪ On January 5, 2018 KUB board member gave a presentation on the Big Give to Senior Citizens Center officials and helped them develop a successful Big Give program where they won their category for 2018.
▪ Held a Volunteer Appreciation/Awards Luncheon on September 12, 2018 at the Senior Citizens Center with approximately 40 volunteers in attendance where special recognition was given for those contributing significantly. KUB promotional items, such as T-shirts and KUB volunteer stickers, were distributed. Total cost of Volunteer Luncheon was $1,001.63.
▪ Developed and printed two KUB banners which were hung on the fence at the Utopia Little League ball park for public education/awareness.
Education (Community/School Education & Outreach; Keyhole Garden; Stars Over Utopia Program; Watershed Issues; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Established a $1,500 KUB Scholarship for a graduating senior in 2019 which requires 50 volunteer hours at the recycling center, adopt-a-highway, or school garden and acceptance to an accredited college/university.
▪ Provided information to Utopia ISD about Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship and offered assistance with student applications.
▪ Provided information to Utopia ISD about KTB awards and offered assistance with student applications.
▪ Board member gave presentation to UISD teachers about the Waste-in-Place curriculum for secondary students which is progressive year-to-year and is all online and available to KAB affiliates.
▪ Distributed 2018 Don’t Mess with Texas calendars to the 3rd grade teacher, at the Fall Fair booth, and at the Recycling Center.
▪ Worked with the Utopia 7th grade class, Gang Green as they are known on campus, on recycling throughout the year, and advised the 7th Grade “Gang Green” for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years.
▪ Continued working with the school children on gardening and composting education. Six (6) volunteers worked 15 hours (2.5 hours each) cleaning the gardens and removing debris, weeds, and a tree on November 17, 2018.
▪ Continued Key Hole Garden with Utopia ISD and KUB; Kindergarten and 3rd graders weeded, mulched, and planted the garden during GUCU. Third graders planted tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage.
▪ Continued agreement to manage a fund, set up by a local resident, to incentivize people to change their outdoor lighting to dark sky approved lighting.
▪ Participated in the Big Give SA on March 22, 2018 where $12,690 was collected for the organization from 115 donors; won $3,000 in prize money because KUB collected the most in Uvalde County; publicized KUB’s participation in the Big Give SA on the KUB Facebook page; and educated the public and donors on KUB mission, programs, and activities. Net income after fees was $15,548.96.
▪ Two board members attended the Keep Texas Beautiful annual conference June 11-13, 2018 in Georgetown where board training was received on numerous topics.
Beautification and Community Improvement
(Town Beautification & Decorations; Maple Tree Project; GCAA Landscaping; GUCU; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Maintained the five (5) landscape projects and Town Square throughout the year by watering, mowing, weeding, and repairing them.
▪ Maintained the 63 Bigtooth Maple trees in the right-of-way along FM 187 south of town throughout the year – watering, weeding, mowing around the trees, and spraying for weeds and pests such as ants.
▪ Conducted the Great Utopia CleanUp in April 2018 in conjunction with the Great American CleanUp and Earth Day where more than 55 volunteers worked 146 hours to clean up 34,320 pounds of litter, debris and bulky waste.
▪ Submitted Great American CleanUp/GUCU report to KTB by deadline.
▪ Held Bulky Household Trash Day on Thursday, April 19, 2018 and continued the “repurpose station” for reuse of items. 14 volunteers worked a total of 76 hours where 11.25 tons of bulky household trash and 5.65 tons of scrap metal were collected; $400 in donations were received.
▪ Working with Lou Waters, completed repairs of the 2010 landscape project at the north “Y” which was damaged in an August 9, 2016 traffic accident.
▪ Cleaned the 2010 landscape project at the north “Y” in December after an accident knocking down part of the cedar post fence and some shrubs.
Litter Prevention & Clean Up; Litter Law & Illegal Dumping Enforcement
(Cigarette Butts; Adopt-a-Hwy; Trash-Off; First Monday Cleanups; Container Lending Program; Graffiti; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Renewed the Keep Utopia Beautiful Adopt-a-Highway contract with TxDOT for a two-mile section of FM 470 for the period of April 15, 2018 to April 14, 2020; changed the KUB adopt-a-highway section to a two-mile stretch of FM 187 North of Utopia to FM 470 (the Senior Citizens two-mile AAH stretch) in August 2018.
▪ Completed quarterly Adopt-a-Highway pickups – April 7, 2018 (7 volunteers/3 bags); August 8, 2018 (12 volunteers/5 bags); October 10, 2018 (11 volunteers/10 bags) and December 12, 2018 (12 volunteers/10 bags)
▪ Participated in the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off on Saturday, April 7, 2018 and received a Certificate from TxDOT for participation.
▪ UISD 3rd graders entered the Don’t Mess with Texas calendar contest.
▪ Emptied the Don’t Mess with Texas trash barrels placed in Town Square to collect trash throughout the year; put them to use at the Fall Fair.
▪ Completed First Monday Town Clean-ups for 10 months out of the year where 52 people spent 56 hours collecting 38 bags of trash
▪ Board members and citizens conducted additional trash/litter pickups throughout the year where 16 people spent 43.5 hours collecting 32 bags of trash.
▪ Completed the Keep America Beautiful Litter Index on September 24th, 2018 and tabulated figures resulting in a 1.130 Litter Index for the community, which is a slight improvement over the 1.34 Litter Index in 2017.
▪ Continued working with business owners to get cigarette disposal receptacles in front of their businesses and replaced ash receptacles as needed.
▪ Worked with the Texas Department of Transportation on the illegal dumping at a scenic overlook on FM 337 between Vanderpool and Leakey throughout the year and was instrumental in removing a number of tires and trash.
Solid Waste Management
(Bulb-Eater; Bulky Household; E-Waste; UR Operation; Drug Take-back; Oil Containment; Fundraising; and Volunteers)
▪ Operated the Utopia Recycles Center 52 weeks out of the year with 1,530 volunteer hours and served 4,039 customers.
▪ Continued the Clear Stream loan program; KUB volunteers handled recycling by maintaining and loaning Clear Stream containers, and sorting plastic, aluminum, cardboard and tin.
▪ Shipped 43.56 tons of recyclable commodities from Utopia Recycling Center in 2018 with net income of $4,130.33 in commodity sales.
▪ Collected donations at the recycling center.
▪ Continued collecting cardboard from commercial establishments in Concan at the County Citizen’s Collection Station in the custom-designed trailer. The County towed the trailer back and forth; UR unloaded the trailer.
▪ Valdez & Son Scrap Metal continued taking the tin cans as they did in 2017 since the value of steel had dropped so much that it would be an expense to KUB to ship them to the MRF. This allowed the UR to continue accepting cans at no cost to KUB.
▪ Advised citizens/recycling customers how to recycle computers and televisions since transportation costs for E-Waste are too high to provide this service at no cost.
▪ Held Bulky Household Trash Day on Thursday, April 19, 2018 and continued the “repurpose station” for reuse of items. 14 volunteers worked a total of 76 hours which yielded 11.25 tons of bulky household trash and 5.65 tons of scrap metal; $400 in donations were received.
▪ Recycled electronic waste collected on E-Waste Collection Days in 2017 by taking it to
Goodwill. The cost of recycling and shipping is in excess of the donated amount and collection of e-waste was not done 2018.
▪ Continued recycling used motor oil and petroleum fluids; 400 gallons of used petroleum-based automotive fluids were picked up May, 31, 2018. Also one drum of used oil filters was recycled at a cost of $45.
▪ Collected fluorescent bulbs for bulb eater – collected printer cartridges.
▪ Continued using hired contract worker, which had begun in October 2013, for Recycling Center.
▪ Repaired brown baler and installed new baler that was donated to the Recycling Center.
▪ Installed/built a new 20’x24’x10’ storage shed for commodities at the Recycling Center. Uvalde County installed the pad for the building and the total cost was $3,331.50.
▪ Continued Clear Stream recycling collection at the school with 10 containers in hallways at the school; students and staff were educated by the 7th grade Gang Green about how to properly use the bins. Gang Green manages the bins.
▪ Worked with the CTRA and the Carton Council to continue recycling cartons by working with the UISD cafeteria, the main source of cartons, and by accepting them at the Recycling Center on a regular basis. Continued program started when a $2,000 grant was received from the Carton Council in 2017 to assist with the carton recycling program and entered into a two-year agreement to educate and build awareness about carton recycling and to grow collection programs. CTRA is responsible for reporting to the Carton Council.
▪ Worked with Marsha Jo Sheedy to place 2 recycling bins in the Utopia Park which were purchased with the Keep America Beautiful Dr. Pepper/Snapple Park Recycling Bin grant for recycling bins in parks.
▪ Two shipments of batteries, both rechargeable and non-rechargeable, were shipped during 2018 in the on-going battery collection program.
▪ Installed a fire extinguisher and an AED (donated by EMS) at the Recycling Center; inventoried and restocked the First Aid Kit; and updated the Facilities Incident Management Procedure and Incident Report Form.
▪ Google Maps put the Utopia Recycling Center on their maps.
▪ In the Spring, Rachel Hering from CTRA was on a Keep Texas Beautiful webinar and talked about the Utopia Recycling Center.
▪ Retrained “leads” and volunteers at the Recycling Center.
▪ Was successful in getting Uvalde County to remove old tires from the Recycling Center which were causing a mosquito problem.
▪ Worked with Kevin Carr, Uvalde County Sheriff’s Deputy and Concan Volunteer Fired Department, to setup recycling for aluminum and number 1 plastic bottles in Concan.