McDowell County walked away with the Clean County Make it Shine Award and an accompanying $1000 check during the November 10 Litter Control Conference at Stonewall Resort State Park, Roanoke, WV.
McDowell Solid Waste Authority Board members Carl Mullins and Randall Patton and Office Manager Trish Blevins accepted the award on behalf of the county.
“The award was an unexpected surprise,” Patton commented. “A team effort produced it. It’s nice to know that the DEP recognized our efforts.”
Patton explained that everyone, including individual volunteers, local mayors, the County Commission, magistrates, the Sheriff’s Office, the DEP, the Copper Ridge Landfill, the DNR, the DOH, WELC Radio, the litter getters, The Welch News, The Daily Telegraph, the SWA, even the inmates from the Stevens Facility contributed to the clean effort in various ways.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s cooperation,” Patton said.
This year, Patton said that inmate crews from the Stevens Facility have logged hundreds of hours removing litter from the highways and hillsides. In April alone, during the thick of the spring clean up, 105 litter violations were issued and a total of 227.5 tons of waste was deposited at the Copper Ridge Landfill.
In conjunction with REAP, the City of Welch has sponsored two free metal and tire removal programs. The tire and metal programs resulted in 27.80 tons of metal and 4927 tires being removed from McDowell County’s landscape. To date, the County Commission’s Clean it/Green it Program has razed over 20 abandoned houses.
The Copper Ridge Landfill, Patton said, made much of the clean up free to local residents by providing one free dump day per month, usually the last Friday of the month.
Patton reminds the public that the SWA’s “zero tolerance policy” will remain in effect permanently.
“The DEP estimated last summer that McDowell County is about 70 percent clean,” he said.
Echoing the consensus of all participants of the effort, he added. “We’re not where we need to be, but we’re a lot cleaner than we were before the Copper Ridge Landfill opened and the county clean up was initiated. It isn’t easy, but we’re getting there.”

THE SWA BOARD HARD AT WORK - Pictured (l-r) during a recent meeting hard at work are SWA Board members Carl Mullins and David Falin, Vice Chairman Randall Patton, Chairman Harold McBride, Office Manager Trish Blevins and Litter Control Officer Wendell Hatfield. Board member Henry Paul is not pictured. (Photo by Cathy Patton)

STOWIE ON PARADE – Stowie, the McDowell County Commission and Copper Ridge Landfill mascot, appeared at the annual Veterans Day Parade to remind local residents to “Stow it. Don’t throw” because it’s the law. Stowie is available to speak to schools, churches and civic clubs about the continuing county clean up and the importance of living a green life. Stowie, played by Solid Waste Authority Board Vice Chairman Randall Patton, may be reached at 436-3963. (Photo by Cathy Patton)