COVID-19 prompted the City of Carlsbad and Keep Carlsbad Beautiful to pivot on a $20,000 grant approved Tuesday by the Carlsbad City Council.
The grant for fiscal year 2022 could help the City’s continuing efforts to cleanup trash across the community.
In a memo to City Council from City of Carlsbad Utilities Director Ron Myers, the City was required to match the grant by 25 percent or $5,000.
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Myers said the grant would total $25,000 for Keep Carlsbad Beautiful (KCB), read the memo.
Mary Garwood, KCB executive director, said the COVID-19 color coded system enacted by the State where restrictions vary for counties on a daily basis, put Carlsbad at a disadvantage for so long due to highly restrictive measures.
“The State asked us if we would do a different type of grant request,” she said.
Nearly two weeks ago Eddy County moved to a less restricted COVID-19 level.
In his memo, Myers said the grant allows KCB to pay annual affiliate dues to Keep America Beautiful in 2022. Travel to the 2021 annual Keep America Beautiful conference in Washington, D.C. and hiring a youth intern for the KCP program.
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He added the grant would also pay for advertising costs, purchase a s storage trailer for cleanup events and landscape the City of Carlsbad Annex building, the memo stated.
Garwood said COVID-19 prompted KCB to have conversations that no one has ever had before.
“It’s normally been about the youth contract money (for community cleanups) it really helps to get to know where the basis of the money comes from and the history of it and how it all can be relevant to our community and not in just that one aspect,” she said.
In the memo, Myers said New Mexico Clean and Beautiful inspires, “and educate people to take action every day that improves and beautifies their community environment.”
He added the grant supports local and tribal communities in identifying projects and events, per the memo.
Garwood said the application is due to the State in April and the City of Carlsbad should know sometime in June if it gets the money.
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Ward 4 Carlsbad City Councilor Mark Walterscheid thanked Garwood and KCB for their efforts to clean up trash around Carlsbad.
“She has such a following. Thank you for what you do,” he said.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
