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From: "PRSmith" <>
Subject: Re: [TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION] Maintenance of Cemetery by City/County Govt in...
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:17:28 -0600
References: <1dc.1482f87a.2ce9548e@aol.com>
P.S. Your P.S. deserves an email of it's own. I didn't even notice it until I went back for a second reading.
Good Hunting! -- Paul
aka Graveseeker on
www.geocaching.com where
YOU are the search engine!
----- Original Message -----
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Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 4:30 PM
Subject: Re: [TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION] Maintenance of Cemetery by City/County Govt in...
<<<<< ยง 713.028. County Care of Cemetery Older than 50 Years
(c) Maintenance of a cemetery. . .This subsection applies only to a county
with a population of 40,000 or less.
What does that mean? Harris County is exempt and doesn't have to care for
such cemeteries? >>>>
Well, yes, I guess it does. We are a county of less than 40,000 - and have
been so for a looong time. Do you have any idea how many cemeteries -
abandoned; semi-abandoned - that we have in this county that are over fifty years old?
A BUNCH! How does "the county" use public money for this type of thing? I
believe that under the law, the county commissioners "can" "may" use funds in
certain instances ... but to take on all of them is not feasible. And can't
you just hear it now from folks who have no interest in history, or "if you're
going to do that one, why not mine?"
It simply goes back to community involvement! Every cemetery in Harris
County (and elsewhere) deserves attention ... all those small family cemeteries
where there is no descendant left to care for it; all the community cemeteries
that (although I think we're fairly well past that since almost everything is in
some "city" or other) - etc.
There are ways! But someone has to step up to the plate and be the
responsible party to spearhead it. It takes backbreaking, week-to-week care in this
climate just to get some of them cleared one time! Unless you can keep at it
enough to make some headway over what you cleared last week, then all is lost
because it is grown right back up again.
And then what about when you can finally stand in the center of the cemetery
and see all four corners? What will happen? Are you willing to keep on with
it?
Again, it can be done if a plan is set in place for it. A 501(c)(3)
organized by a group of caring citizens who will foot the bill for the charter, etc.
and then schedule the various groups for clean-up. Those groups unwilling to
organize usually fall by the wayside so I encourage you to PLAN - ORGANIZE -
GET OTHERS INVOLVED - RESTORE - PRESERVE AND CONTINUE TO PRESERVE if you have a
neglected cemetery in your area. And don't forget, often a small group
tries but others do not come forth to help and the original group just simply
tires out. I believe this Humble cemetery has had several starts ...?
The advice is free from one who's been down the full road -
Trevia Wooster Beverly
Houston, Harris County, Texas
P.S. how many in Harris County would like to have an all-day "cemetery
preservation" program? You have my e-mail ....
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