Angela and all:
I'd like to commend all of you who went to the meeting yesterday, and particularly
Angela's excellent explanation of the issues. I thought that, although it was
unfortunate that we were second on the agenda, the reception was positive from the
committee members who'd stuck it out. I was sitting beside the Allen County
representative (don't remember her name) and she was asking me clarifying questions as
you all talked (i.e. does burning hurt the stones? what happens to an old church cemetery
when the church is gone?). You all did a great job! I'm sorry Helen didn't get
to speak because her talk was terrific too, but maybe next time.
You all used the short period of time you had very well, and it was great that you had
packets to pass out to ALL the members. For the information of the list, there are
apparently 16 members on the committee, but only 8 or so were there.
And I now know a lot about septic systems and nitrate concentrations in ground water.
:-)
Angela, do you think they'll put us first on the agenda in September, in fairness?
Good job, all!
Dale Drake
Cemetery Committee, Morgan County History & Genealogy Assn
GTielking wrote:
Hello everyone,
I am sure most of you would like to know what happened today at the County Government
Study Commission meeting today. After listening to septic issues for an hour and a half,
we finally got our chance to testify. It was noon. Most of the senators and
representatives were not present. If I remember correctly, there were six or seven there.
After the septic issues were finished, two commission members left. Chairman Marvin
Riegsecker said he wanted to finish by 1:00 p.m.
Senator Beverly Gard made opening remarks. Then I went. I discussed changing the word
"may" to "shall" in IC 23-14-67 (Care of Cemeteries by Counties),
cemeteries on private property, landlocked cemeteries, prairie grass restoration/nature
preserves in cemeteries, and burning in cemeteries. Chairman Riegsecker thought maybe a
tax break could be given to property owners with cemeteries located on their property if
they maintained them. I thought this was a good idea.
Then Debbie Driskell, president of the Township Trustee Association spoke. Debbie -
maybe you would like to tell the group in your own words your testimony.
Then Walt spoke. He talked about the PEOPLE who's headstones he has restored. I liked
this approach very much because it showed that the pioneers were people just like us.
Donna talked about how she got into cemetery preservation through her genealogy research,
showed her family's headstones in neglected cemeteries. Brought to their attention
that an Indiana Cemetery (Ball Cemetery in Rush Co.) made National news with an article in
the New York Times due to its neglected condition.
The DNR was present. Jeannie was there to answer questions if needed. Which she did. The
DNR prairie grass guy (sorry I don't have a name. I am horrible when it comes to
names) stated that the praire grasses in cemeteries are left as a tribute to the pioneers.
That little of our prairie grasses are left, due to farming/development, and are mostly
found in cemeteries and railroad right-of-ways. That controlled burning goes through fast
and does not harm the stones. And after the burning, the headstones are cold to the
touch.They were aware of the St. Johns Cemetery and have worked out a solution (which Jack
stated in previous e-mail).
I believe it was Sen. Rethlake asked the DNR prairie grass specialist if the prairie
grass could be transplanted. He answered yes. And that the seed pods could be saved to
plant them in other areas. But stated that the 15 cemeteries that contain the prairie
grasses were the only ones left undisturbed. He spoke with me after the meeting and said
he understood our feelings (and was sincere) about the prairie grass in the cemeteries. I
told him that I understood his position as well. That we are both trying to preserve
history.
Jeannie stated there was a law in which private property owners could have the cemetery
land assessed at $1.00/acre. And no one has taken advantage of the law. I, in turn, asked
Jeannie if the property owners would have to pay for the survey of cemetery themselves.
She answered yes. I looked at the legislators and said surveying is not inexpensive.
(Gee, I wonder why no one has taken "advantage" of this?)
Matt Brooks with the Association of Counties had a real problem with changing the word
may to shall in IC 23-14-67. Stated a levy could be enacted to restore and maintain
cemeteries (what county official would want to do that when the State and Counties are in
financial crisis????) That all levels of statutes should be looked at. That the Farm
Bureau would be interested in the access issue.
Bud Bush spoke about land deeds. Said most cemeteries were part of the church or other
organization(s) that are gone . For cemeteries like that, who is responsible for them?
Stated trustees won't take care of them because they don't have a deed to the
cemetery.
Helen Wildermuth planned on speaking but did not have time too. A copy of her speech was
included in our packet though. Eddie Hagar, from the Henry Co. Finance Committee who had
some financial solutions to speak about, was unable to because he was having a diabetic
attack!!! He is o.k.
All in all, I think the meeting went well. The legislators that were left seemed
interested. The next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 3 at 10:30 a.m. We will need people
again.
Anybody else who attended the meeting want to add to anything?
Thanks to everyone who went to the meeting; and who worked on putting the legislative
packet together. We made a great team!
Sincerely,
Angela Tielking
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
THIS IS A CEMETERY -----
"Lives are commemorated - deaths are recorded - families
are reunited - memories are made tangible - and love is
undisguised. This is a cemetery.
"Communities accord respect, families bestow reverence,
historians seek information and our heritage is thereby enriched.
"Testimonies of devotion, pride and remembrance are carved
in stone to pay warm tribute to accomplishments and to the life -
not the death - of a loved one. The cemetery is homeland for family
memorials that are a sustaining source of comfort to the living.
"A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of
yesterday and sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery
exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always."
--Author unknown -- Seen at a monument dealer in West Union, IA