I have heard impute through out the day on a local level, and we got alot of
attention!!!!! (Hope we have some good press, 3 newspapers were there) Last night made me
realize we have a long road ahead of us, but we are on the right path!!! Thank you to
Rep. Saunders and Sen. Gard for attending, and for the ITA for having representation there
as well, and to everyone one that was able to attend (THANK YOU Walt for coming!!!! and
yes, I noticed your surprise when you realized that a State Rep. had been digging beside
you in a on hands work shop!!!) On a serious note, your presence was very much
appreciated and helped US get some ideas and good points across. We got also some
points across that were long overdue. And THANK YOU Angela for
preparing the reports that you presented on proposed new legislation regarding cemetery
issues and laws. It would be in our best interest that our legislators have a committee
this summer to review these issues. NOW is the time for all of us to remind our
legislators how we feel on Pioneer Cemeteries. I can't stress enough that we work
toward an interim Study such as was suggested for this summer to REALLY look into cemetery
issues.
Donna Tauber
HCCC
GTielking wrote:
Hello everyone,
We wanted to let you know how the meeting at the Henry County, Indiana Cemetery
Commission went tonight.
Representative Tom Saunders and Senator Beverly Gard were the guests. Representative Phil
Pflum was unable to make it. The meeting was about an hour and a half long.
There was a good turnout at the meeting. There were four INPCRP group members in
attendence: Donna Tauber (president of the Henry Co. Cemetery Commission), Bud Bush (UEB),
John Walters, and me. Mike Hayes, Vice-President of the Indiana Township Trustee
Association was also present.
Topics discussed were landlocked cemeteries, cemeteries on private property, designating
October as Cemetery Education Month, cemeteries in praire grass restoration areas,
controlled burning in cemeteries, and funding for cemetery commissions. We were unable to
talk about every issue, but I think we covered a lot. Issues not discussed were written in
an outline for them to keep. Those topics were changing the word "may" to
"shall" in forming a county cemetery commission, reviewing the 1850 date in IC
23-14-67-1, and wording IC 23-14-67-1 to read "or" instead of "and" in
meeting qualifications for "Care of cemeteries by County".
Senator Gard and Rep. Saunders said that Indiana is strong in protecting the rights of
property owners. They do not think anything could be done with that.
I showed them pictures of the Farley Cemetery in Franklin Twp., that is on private
property and the farmer is plowing around it and encroaching on the cemetery, as an
example. A Rev. War veteran is buried there. Rep. Saunders recognized something needs to
be done to further protect our cemeteries so they will not end up like the Farley Cemetery
or others that have been plowed over. And we need to concentrate on what cemeteries are
left so they will not be destroyed or lost. (A conservaton officer did visit the Farley
Cemetery after I complained about it. He told me nothing could be done because there were
no bones exposed; and that someone from the DNR was to call the property owner so he is
aware of the current laws in regards to disturbing a cemetery.)
Rep. Saunders said that designating October as Cemetery Education Month may be a
possibility because Gov. Frank O'Bannon is interested in history.
It was suggested to the legislators that a committee should be formed to work on the
cemetery issues.
Walt, Bud, and Donna: Would any of you want to add to what has been shared? I know I left
out some things. We talked about so many issues.
Thanks to everyone who gave me permission to include their e-mails in the portfolio.
:-)
Angela Tielking
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of England
and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli:
"Show me the manner in which a nation or community
cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical
exactness the tender mercies of its people, their
respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty
to high ideals."