Granite Shoals picks up on litter problem
Litter along RR 1431 is an eyesore, and the Granite Shoals City Council and Tom Rapp of Hill Country Litter Lifters decided to do something about it. The two entities are collaborating on a cleanup day April 1 and are in need of volunteers. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Granite Shoals City Council and Hill Country Litter Lifters are collaborating on a thorough cleanup of RR 1431 for the Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off on April 1. At a recent meeting, the council also brainstormed ways of involving the community in keeping the city cleaner.
Hill Country Litter Lifters founder Tom Rapp spoke to the council on Feb. 28 about his mission of cleaning up the Highland Lakes. His organization adopted the stretch of RR 1431 between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals and has been picking up litter there since April 2022.
“We live in a place of surpassing natural beauty, but when careless or intentional littering occurs, it detracts from that beauty and makes it less attractive for everyone,” Rapp told the council. “We wouldn’t toss out trash in our own living room, so why is it OK to toss it out in God’s living room?”
The council also discussed how to encourage residents to keep their town tidy.
“I’d like to have some kind of slogan that we can get behind,” Place 1 Councilor Ron Munos said. “It’s disturbing when you see people just throw trash out.”
Place 3 Councilor Steve Hougen proposed creating signage that volunteers could put up across the city. Hougen and the Granite Shoals Parks Advisory Committee have been holding city cleanups of their own and found that trash is a serious issue.
“If you clean (the trash) up and it’s not seen, maybe that will discourage others from littering,” Hougen mused.
Granite Shoals resident Shirley King suggested asking students at Highland Lakes Elementary School to come up with a city slogan for keeping the streets clean.
“This could be something great that would get the whole community involved in what the city is trying to do with cleaning up our streets,” she said. “I think word would spread fairly well that way.”
The council liked the idea of holding a slogan contest for local kids. No firm decision has been made, but the matter will be discussed again during the council’s next meeting on March 13.
“I think the city owes (the Rapps) a big debt of gratitude,” Munos told the council. “Tom and Jean Rapp moved here a couple of years ago from Colorado and jumped right into the community and doing lots of good things in the area.”
Those interested in volunteering for the April 1 cleanup should contact Tom Rapp at twrapp@comcast.net or 303-887-5649.
2 thoughts on “Granite Shoals picks up on litter problem”
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I would like to see trash pickup on 1431 between Granite Shoals and Kingsland too! The road is so busy and dangerous though -we need protection while picking up. How about providing city or county vehicles and road cones along a segment to protect volunteers?
The Granite Shoals city council should look in their own backyard, quite literally…I walk the trail around City Hall daily and trash is all over the place, especially on the west side where LCRA contractors have a staging area.