The Bradley County Road Department hosted the TDOT Litter Program training at the Museum Center at Five Points Wednesday.

The county has received the grant numerous times in the past, but has never hosted the training session.

Gloria Hayes of the Road Department said the county was approved for $60,000 in grants, which is more than it normally receives. Hayes said the department asked to host the training session, and the state honored the request.

Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis welcomed the representatives from about 11 counties to the training session. Davis said he was glad the state had chosen Bradley County as a training site this year.

Davis said the litter grant is a reimbursement grant, which requires the departments to keep the proper documentation and then apply for reimbursement of the funding.

This two-day training session, which ends today, focused on how to fill out paperwork and keep proper records. Other topics discussed will include litter laws, meth lab precaution awareness and a presentation by Jennifer Norton of the Greenway table on “environmentally friendly gardens,” according to Hayes.

Grant money will be used for the collection of litter on county roads and for educating the county on recycling and litter prevention.

The county road department uses inmates from the Bradley County Justice Center to pick up litter four times a week, Davis said.

The education component requires the department overseeing the grant to educate five groups of people. These include the public, government, students, media and businesses. Hayes said this involves presentations and giving out items with printed reminders not to litter.

Teresa Culbreath, transportation specialist with the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Highway Beautification Department, said this is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the grant.