The Keep Jones Beautiful Commission was started in 1978 by Carol Brittain. Under her direction, it won two National First Place awards which were presented to the KJB Commission in Washington, D. C. In 1981 Carol Brittain received the Professional Leadership Award which was one of the four awards presented in the United States. The award was presented in Washington, D. C. There were several first place awards received on the state level by Commission Directors, Carol M. Brittain and Tammy Seabolt Brittain. Awards were received based on the submission of a detailed account of all of the events and program accomplishments sponsored by the Commission for the year.
KJB is a local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. and Keep Georgia Beautiful, Inc. which are under the umbrella of the Department of Community Affairs. They strive to educate the public on the importance of preserving, cleaning and beautifying the environment with one of the goals to be litter free. Emphasis is placed on the importance of recycling and proper waste disposal.
Volunteers from throughout the county serve on a commission/board dedicated to beautification projects and educational programs designed to improve our community and promote awareness of environmental issues. Partnerships have been formed with the schools as well as civic organizations, churches, scouts, residential neighborhoods, the business community, and law enforcement.
Examples of the success of this program are seen throughout the community including Carol’s Park, seasonal decorations, day lily beds along the railroad tracks, and the planting of trees and flower beds in several public areas and government buildings.
There were numerous grants received under the direction of Tammy Brittain and Carol Brittain. Carol Brittain received grants to initiate the County’s first recycling centers and earned an outstanding reputation for Jones County throughout the state in our innovative leadership in this area. Tammy Brittain received the first Scrap Tire Management grant which was used to begin the Environmental Code Enforcement Program. This program still continues although all state funding has been eliminated. Tiffany Whorton is the County’s Code Enforcement Officer. Grants have sponsored a wide variety of things from the purchase of playground equipment and timbers enclosing the area made from recycled tires to oil recycling stations at several recycling centers.
The office is open part time and is located at the Jones County Civic Center in downtown Gray.