Locals catch on to cleanliness campaign

While no scientific method is available to compare Cherokee County to the other 99 counties in our Tarheel State, I am encouraged by the unsolicited repeated comments I hear that Cherokee County continues to get cleaner. More citizens and business owners seem to be catching on. Word getting out to large employees with hundreds of employees creates a ripple effect which helps. We knew it would happen. In fact, it has now been several months since I have picked up a pooped diaper from the parking lot of the two largest retail establishments in Cherokee County. Citizens are learning that we are building a reputation.

Possibly Murphy and Andrews are still competing on the challenge they made some time ago which was front page news. I don't see as much of Andrews as I do Murphy, but the good folks there still take the challenge seriously. From my perspective the two biggest challenges we have in Murphy are the boat ramp across from our beautiful new fire station and US 19/74 driving east from McDonalds. The scenic mountain vista is framed by the trash along the roadside and I know we can do better. One or two other citizens have joined me in regularly policing the boat landing. TVA employee Frank Barber e-mailed me this is a city responsibility. Accordingly, I have mailed a $100 personal check to Murphy Mayor Bill Hughes to be used as seed money in designing and constructing a suitable area around the boat ramp that would greet the many visitors who regularly see the litter that frequently accumulates there. The area has enormous potential. Let's recognize it and move forward.

Finally, the restaurants are really catching on. Steve Dickey continued the reputation of the Sirloin (widely known for the excellent service, great food, and exemplary cleanliness) to Captain D's where a "101" was recently posted. Some are telling me they are voting with their food budget to go to places that are clean.

Rick Bagley