The Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance finalized plans Wednesday for a March 17 — St. Patrick’s Day — cleanup of at least one Greeneville creek, with cash rewards for volunteers.

Alliance Chairman Tim Armstrong said he is hopeful that enough people will turn out to help clean up portions of Richland Creek near the YMCA that sections of other creeks can be cleaned up as well.

Other possibilities that emerged from Wednesday’s meeting included Richland Creek downtown, behind the library; Moon Creek in Tusculum; and Holley Creek in the vicinity of the Greeneville Commons.

Susan Vance, who represents Keep Greene Clean on the Alliance, said, “Once we have enough volunteers for Richland Creek, they can perhaps go to other creeks that we have already identified.”

The creek cleanup is to take place from 10 a.m. until noon. Volunteers will be given gloves and trash bags and an orientation and safety talk at the YMCA parking lot at that time.

The cleanup there will extend from the YMCA area to the new soccer fields on Bernard Avenue.

Volunteers will meet back at the YMCA at noon for lunch, which will be provided by McDonald's on Asheville Highway, Coca-Cola, and Professional Vending Services, Armstrong and Vance said.

Vance said volunteers will be instructed not to pick up tires or appliances during the cleanup, but they will be asked to make note of where such items are located, so that a county litter pickup team can pick them up later.

In case of a downpour or thunderstorm, the event will be postponed for a week.

After discussion, the group decided to let Vance use $100 of Alliance funds for prizes for volunteers. The Alliance has received a $5,000 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority to help it get started.

Vance said that some prizes will be given based on a drawing from among the volunteers who return to the lunch. Other prizes will be given to the group that brings the most volunteers, the volunteer with the most bags, and the volunteer who brings in the most unusual item found.

Mike McElroy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service agreed to put pink flags at the creeks where litter is to be picked up, so that volunteers will know where to start and stop.

Armstrong reported that he had been to the January meeting of the Upper Nolichucky Watershed Alliance in Erwin, and enjoyed it.

That group is very similar to the local group, but it has a charter and bylaws, Armstrong said, asking, “Do you think we need that?”

John B. Jones, of TVA, pointed out that if the local Alliance ever wants to apply for additional grants, it will have to do so through another non-profit agency unless it is itself chartered. “If you intend for this organization to keep going, it’s a good idea,” Jones said.

Jones said he could provide copies of a charter and bylaws from an existing watershed alliance, and several other members said they could bring in charters and bylaws of similar groups.

Armstrong appointed Greeneville Alderman Ginny Kidwell to work on the charter, and Kidwell quickly drafted some others to help.

Jones also said he has asked for monthly estimates of costs that each of the Alliance’s standing committees expects to spend between now and the end of the TVA fiscal year Sept. 30.

He said that TVA conducts a mid-year review and is looking for ways to save money. The Alliance received a $5,000 start-up grant from TVA, but although the group has grown steadily, it has not spent much money, Jones noted.

Members said that they plan to use some of the grant money for a breakfast for farmers, to provide information on watershed protection methods, perhaps in the fall.

McElroy said that farmers are probably too busy to come to a breakfast in the fall, but might have more time this month or next.

Armstrong said the group also was planning an educational effort in connection with June Dairy Month, and perhaps with Dairy Day, which will be held this year at the new Lowe’s Super Store.

Jan Bowers, who represents the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation on the Alliance, invited its members to a TDEC open house on March 13 in Johnson City.

The next Alliance meeting will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 14, in the conference room of the Greene County Courthouse Annex on Cutler Street.

Sally Causey, representing Rural Resources, said much information related to protecting water will be presented at the “Grazing for Profit” workshop, March 8-10 at the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray.

She said that the Greene County Soil Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have agreed to provide scholarships for local farmers wishing to attend, covering all but the cost of meals.

Meals will cost $12 per day, she said, but will include sausage biscuits with sausage made from Greene County hogs, and other meals to be catered by the House of Ribs.