THOSE HONORED IN 2009 by the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste District were, from left: Jess Grizzell of Waynesville Middle School, Sally Hornsey of Enhancements, Inc. of Salem, Curt Weida of Wal-Mart Store 895 in Cuba, Marcia Mayo of the Rolla Recycling Center, and Becky Turner of Bourbon Elementary School. Pictured with the group, at far right, is Scott Murrell, chairman of the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District. Not pictured is Valerie Linley of Waynesville.

The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District presented six awards during its annual meeting on Dec. 1 at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission in St. James.
Each year, the Ozark Rivers District recognizes companies and individuals that are helping the district meet its 40 percent reduction goal and to showcase them as models for others to follow.
Those honored were:
• Becky Turner, an educator at the Bourbon Elementary School who is instrumental in her school’s recycling program.
• Valerie Linley, a Waynesville VISTA leader who has helped coordinate the U.S. Forest Service, Fort Leonard Wood and local schools to organize cleanup days at illegal dump sites.
• Jess Grizzell, a Waynesville Middle School principal who was involved with VISTA program that coordinated volunteers for illegal dump cleanups.
• Marcia Mayo, a 12-year employee of Rolla Recycling Center, who goes above and beyond to assist the residents of Rolla with their recycling questions and concerns and works to educate the public and visiting groups on recycling.
• Enhancement, Inc. of Potosi, represented by Sally Hornsey, for providing recycling-related employment opportunities to disabled citizens in Washington County through their paper shredding services and paper and cardboard recycling programs.
• Cuba Wal-Mart Store #895, represented by store manager Curt Weida, for encouraging associates to integrate a small change into their lives to benefit their own health and well-being, as well as the environment and for recycling all types of plastics, paper waste and soda cans, reducing its waste stream and setting a good example for other businesses.
Prior to the awards dinner, the solid waste district:
• Agreed to provide a letter of support to the Midwest Assistance Program for a grant to USDA Rural Development. Cynthia Mitchell of MAP made the request. MAP hopes to work with local communities in establishing recycling program.
Brady Wilson of the Rolla Recycling Center pointed out that transportation to a central collection site is a barrier to developing community-based recycling programs, and suggested that the MAP grant request explore and recommend solutions to that problem.
• Agreed to provide a letter of support to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for a grant to USDA Rural Development to provide information statewide on the proper disposal of electronics waste.
• Granted extension on four grants to allow more time to complete the work.
• Approved a change in scope on the district’s special waste collection grant to allow the district to assist Rolla and St. Robert in being electronics waste collection sites with funds leftover from special waste collection events. Such a change would require approval from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources as well.
• Heard a report from Chairman Scott Murrell that David Lamb has been appointed as head of the solid waste section at DNR, that the local solid waste district awarded some $183,000 in grants, which are awaiting DNR approval that solid waste disposal overall is down in the state, which is typical when money is tight.
The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. Scott Murrell of Fort Leonard Wood serves as chairman. The district’s strategy for reduction, which has been individually adopted by all member governments and approved by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, involves intense education and increased recycling efforts in member counties and cities.
Ozark Rivers contracts with MRPC to provide day-to-day operations and oversee special projects on behalf of the district.