Milledgeville City Council’s decision to delay a vote Tuesday evening on a resolution for Keep America Beautiful comes as a disappointment considering funds have been set aside in the last two budgets to help establish the program locally.

Tabling a decision on the resolution is a setback for the launch of a seemingly viable grassroots effort to further beautify our community and promote environmental awareness.

We hope future discussions slated by both City Council and the county commissioners, who are also expected to discuss the measure in the coming week, will help move the project toward fruition.

Funds have already been allocated in the city’s recently approved budget and in last year’s budget to support the program’s launch here in Milledgeville, and details of the program have been previously presented before council. If there were concerns that would delay a decision, have those questions not been posed openly during the past two years in a manner that could arrive at an answer? If council members have financial concerns, were they discussed during the recent budget talks or last year’s budget meetings?

The fact that funds have been allocated the past two years indicates any budgetary concerns there may have been were not strong enough to rule out consideration of the project altogether.

According to its official mission statement, Keep America Beautiful aims to engage individuals to take “greater responsibility for improving their community environments.”

The KAB organization supports beautification projects and litter prevention programs like the Great American Cleanup in communities throughout the country.

KAB’s official Web site shows there are 67 affiliates across the state of Georgia. Neighboring communities including Dublin/Laurens County, Eatonton/Putnam County, Macon/Bibb County and Oconee County are already committed to the organization’s charge. If so many other communities are on board, why not Milledgeville and Baldwin County?

If there have been other concerns regarding organizational structure and long-term costs as council members indicated Tuesday, perhaps council can bring in KAB representatives from neighboring areas who may be able to share their insight and experiences.

With so much national and worldwide attention these days on protecting the environment and “going green,” it seems counterproductive to delay such a key vote.

We’ve all heard repeatedly how we must each do our part to beautify and protect our environment, and Milledgeville and Baldwin County certainly has so much natural landscape that warrants our interest and our concern. How can we expect others to show interest in protecting and beautifying Lake Sinclair and our other natural wonders if we don’t?

As Milledgeville continues to grow, thus attracting more tourist attention than ever before, the obvious benefits need not be repeated here. However, with this growth comes responsibility. We must do our part with whatever power we may wield to protect what we have and keep a watchful eye on potentially beneficial projects. Keep America Beautiful should be at the top of council's list as a necessary step for this city to take in order to continuously grow and prosper. Milledgeville is becoming a destination for travelers, and Keep America Beautiful provides assistance in keeping what we have looking good. We are proud of our community, and as representatives of such, local leaders should show their pride as well.

While saving the environment is indeed a global issue, protecting our beautiful landscape must begin at the grassroots level. We must first be good stewards to our own environment, and the Keep America Beautiful program would undoubtedly be a great way to promote that effort. Protecting Mother Earth must begin at home. Local officials should act on the Keep America Beautiful program to help spearhead that effort.