Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The Clanton Beautification Board is making a comeback in 2023 led by former Clanton City Council member Ann Baker as the chairman. Baker, who spent 24 years on the council, took care of the plants out front and around Clanton City Hall by herself for all the years she was on the council and continues to.

Baker’s husband was a volunteer fireman and brought the truck to city hall to water the plants for her.

“This is something I have always loved, and I wanted to make a difference,” Baker said. “Everyone is so kind and they say ‘thank you for doing the plants.’ It makes people come here and look at the plants.”

Recently, Clanton Mayor Jeff Mims asked Baker if she would come on board to lead the Clanton Beautification Board after he wanted to bring it back. Baker responded, “I would love to.”

“I was so excited when he asked,” Baker said. “The purpose of this is not only to make our city beautiful, but we want to encourage people to clean their property up and get rid of the old cars, tires or junk.”

The board will be encouraging people’s residences and businesses to keep their yards and storefronts looking nice. They will also help enforce city ordinances when it comes to things like junk in yards. The board will not be creating any ordinances, but help bring awareness to them.

Baker said if anyone sees anything that may be an eyesore, or needs to be addressed, she encourages people to call it in to help clean up the city.

Board member Stanley Varner is working with the Kiwanis Club to connect with Chilton County High School to help those who need assistance in cleaning up their yards or moving things.

“With the programs they have such as the Key Club, the Beta Club and the football team, they are willing to help because the kids need volunteer hours,” Varner said. “This will give them those hours, but also teach them about leadership and selfless service.”

The board is setting up a Clanton Clean-Up Week from June 5-9 to encourage people to tend to their yards and move junk to the curb so the city can pick it up.

They are also establishing beautification awards for the spring and fall and winners will be crowned every six months. There will be five winners, one from each district, and also a historical award for a home or business that has been in the city for a while.

The board will judge each home and business on a 100-point system — 10 points for landscaping, 10 points for variety of color and plants, 10 points for neatness of home and yard, 10 points for grooming and pruning, 10 points for structure and appearance and 50 points for overall appearance.

The five winners will be notified and they will receive a sign and a holder to put in their yard or business front. The winner will keep that up for six months, and then the board will come and pick up the holders but the winners will keep their signs to commemorate their win.

“Hopefully that will keep the process going and it will turn into a continuous cleanup, and make our city look pretty,” Baker said.

Judging for the beautification awards for the spring will be on June 19. More information can be found on the Clanton Beautification Board Facebook page that will be launching in the coming weeks.