NATCHEZ &045; With all the community-wide beautification efforts that have made headlines in recent months, it would be easy to overlook those whose job it is to make sure city facilities stay clean.

True, Henry Morgan gets paid for his job as maintenance worker for the city’s Recreation Department, while others cleaning up the Natchez area are strictly volunteers.

But it’s clear, as Morgan talks about his job, that he has a pride in his work that goes beyond just a paycheck.

&uot;This is a family setting,&uot; Morgan said, referring to Duncan Park, where he performs cleanup and maintenance tasks. &uot;So we’ve got to keep it looking nice.&uot;

As part of his job, which involves mostly weekend work, Morgan does groundskeeping, such as maintaining the park’s flowers, making sure restrooms are clean and in order and picking up litter.

&uot;People will just come through and throw things out of their car windows&uot; onto the grounds of the park, Morgan said.

Morgan, who formerly ran his own grass-cutting business, began working for the city about one year ago. And, looking out onto the park’s golf course and nearby tennis courts, he said he enjoys what he does for a living.

Morgan said his job is not just making sure the park looks good, adding &uot;we have to make it a safe environment for the kids.&uot;