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From: Norma Lewis <>
Subject: Re: Snohomish City can build on Cemetery
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 21:51:11 -0800


This is from Glen Grace. Glen worked on a cemetery reconstruction project in
Edmonds for 12 years. I met with David Hanson last spring. He was very
sympathetic, he wanted us to petition for Federal Historical status which we
couldn't do because the city wouldn't cooperate. He also said he had no budget
to help us! That answer should have come from the
governor's office. I think this is the second answer to any of our letters
I've seen in almost a year. I will e-mail the court decision to
David. He is obviously uninformed and too late! We've been had, Glen!
Norma
STATE OF WASHINCION

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY, TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation

420 Golf Club Road SE, Suite 201, Lacey - PO Box 48343 o Olympia, Washington
98504-8343 o (360) 407-0752
Fax Number (360) 407-6217

September 22, 1998

Committee for Cemetery Preservation

Governor Locke has asked me to respond to you directly in regard to your
recent e-mail to the Governor about the Pilchuck Cemetery in Snohomish and the
Comet Lodge Cemetery in Seattle.

Although the state legislature has created law to protect historic cemeteries
(RCW 68.60, a copy of which is enclosed for your reference and use), it has
not established police powers for any state agency to carry out enforcement.
The enforcement of these laws rests with the county prosecutor or city
attorney for the jurisdiction in which the cemeteries are located. Citizens
who are aware of the desecration of graves or cemeteries should contact the
sheriff or city police. It is my understanding that the Snohomish city
attorney and the office of the King County prosecutor are involved at present
in the Pilchuck Cemetery and the Comet Lodge Cemetery, respectively.

Jon Donnellan, administrator for cemetery and funeral boards within the
Department of Licensing, visited the Pilchuck Cemetery with the acting city
manager of the city of Snohomish to better familiarize himself with the
cemetery. He advised the acting city manager that there should not be any
change in use of the cemetery without a formal removal of the cemetery
dedication through the court system. Mr. Donnellan did not give the city
permission to build on top of the cemeterey.

I hope I have addressed your concerns fully. If you would like to discuss any
of these issues further, please give me a call at 360/407-0765.
Sincerely,

David M. Hansen
Acting State Historic Preservation Officer

wrote:
>
> Norma: I'm not saying anything cause you know how I feel. Whatever I say
> won't be printable. I predicted the outcome when we received no support from
> the local community, none from the local papers and none from any politician
> in the state.
>
> I want to put this on the webb but don't type too well. This is a reply I
> received from the Gov. I asked him why he is continuing to support the
> desecration of the Snohomish and Comet Lodge cemeteries. This reply is ust a
> big bunch of BS........tatanka
>
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