Back in October or so we had some vandalism in the City Cemetery off of College Street. The vandals toppled over a couple of monuments that had been long standing. It's a sad a fare, and Ms. Wallace mentioned to the city council that she wasn't even aware if there were any living survivors to these who were buried there.
Mrs. Leifeste read letter to editor here has gone to the council requesting the council pay the $900 to have these monuments restored. In it she quoted State Law (Health & Safety Code, Title 8), "authorizes a municipality to regulate, improve, enclose and be a permanent trustee for the perpetual maintenance of the lots and graves in the cemetery."
The council rightly pointed out that just because it's 'authorized' didn't mean the city was in any way shape or form obligated to. There is a big difference being 'authorized' to do something and mandated to do something, and honestly our city has enough on it's plate without taking on perpetual care of our cemeteries. I personally believe that our city (both the staff and council) have taken the correct stance on this issue.
Now with that being said, it falls back to the citizens of Gonzales to take care of these things, NOT our city government. Several local citizens have already stepped up and pledged money to help cover the $900 cost of repairing the historical monuments in our cemetery. I believe we are over 30% in covering the cost, but need to hit 100% to get these repaired.
This blog averages about 500 hits a week. If everyone kicked in a couple of dollars this would be paid for immediately. Ok, but we know that's not going to happen. So I'm making an appeal to my readership to help out. Let's do what good citizens do in these cases, we take care of things. So far we've had donations from $25 - $100. But even $5 and $10 donations add up quickly, especially for the small amount we're talking about.
So if you're so inclined, please send donations to:
Solansky Monument Company
5233 US 183 North
Gonzales, TX 78629
Please annotate the check with "repair of vandalized stones" and if you'd like put a 'in memory of _______'.
When we reach the $900 Mr. Solanskys shop will do the work. The sooner we reach this the sooner the work can be done. Please consider making your donation today.
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser
Who owns the cemeteries? Was perpetual care included with the purchase of the burial plot?
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the city owns the cemetery but that no perpetual care is included. It's simply the plot of land that is purchased.
ReplyDeleteThis is the cities concern. IF they were to do this for the existing problems, then they would have set a precedence for future issues, and the expenses that go with it.
Just because we CAN do something with city money doesn't mean that we should.
That being said it is the time for this community to step up and take care of our problem. I know the first $100 is already at Solonskys, and hope to see the rest of the $900 is collected shortly.
God Bless,
Dennis
Maybe they could take $900 from the "Paving Private Driveway Fund" and repair our former citizens last resting place?
ReplyDeletePlease explain "Maybe they could take $900 from the "Paving Private Driveway Fund" and repair our former citizens last resting place?"
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about the 'paving private driveway fund', unless it has to do with GADC or GEDC projects. But I will ask.
ReplyDeleteBut 2 wrongs don't make a right. If we go down this path the expense won't be $900 nor will it be $9,000, the expense is an open check book that will cost us $100,000's. It's a can of worms best left closed.
I can't belive Christian people are so upset over $900 to repair the grave markers of deceased citizens. Who are they? Were they war hero's, community leaders? It doesn't matter who they are, they all were God's children.
ReplyDelete$900??? And how many thousands were spent on the airport? That waste will only serve to benefit a small handfull of "special" people. How about the thousands spent to sell reclaimed water? How much water has been sold?
$900......
Bill,
ReplyDelete"That waste" you speak of allows employers access to our community where they employ not 10's of people, but 100's of our community.
I don't agree with all the spending out at the airport. There was no need for us to put the weather station out there and have a continual cost to maintain that. Unfortunately some of the previous councils though have made it so that we can ONLY spend the money made out there on the airport growth, and not our general fund. Once those grants are over with we need to seriously change that policy, and never be trapped into it again.
But don't think that the airport, while benefiting a few who use it, doesn't benefit MANY more in our community. It does.
As for the tombstones, I don't know of anything special about these individuals except they are very old. They were very nice looking and now it looks like we as a community aren't caring. With that said, I don't put the emphasis on them that some in the community do, but I do believe it would be nice to have them fix (by private donations).
Dennis
Does anyone have a list of names of the markers damaged?
ReplyDeleteDennis: Have you ever watched the documentary on Fort Waul? It closes with a statement that the people of Gonzales don't care for ppreserving history. Also, the city is refusing to repair the Confederate Square Monument. Luling and New Braunfels people are trying to save it. So, convince me that Gonzales as a whole city cares.
Mrs Leifeste was having computer issues so asked me to post this for her -
ReplyDeleteJo Ann Leifeste said...
Bill, the City of Gonzales does many things to care for this Gonzales City Cemetery and Chief Crow can do a better job than me telling you what they are, but I know of some of them; however, even though the State Law I referred to in my Letter to the Editor about this states a municipality "may" (Title 9, Subchapter A, Sec. 713.001 (1) and (2): purchase, establish, and regulate a cemetery; and enclose and improve a cemetery owned by the municipality
the City Council doesn't want to repair these vandalized stones because they believe it will constitute "perpetual care". There are military people and civilians buried in this cemetery, some who participated in wars back to the TX Revolution, but they are, as you wrote and I totally agree, "all God's Children" and I believe when families buried these loved ones in the CITY CEMETERY they thought the city would "protect" the cemetery from vandlism but the City Council has chosen to not do this. I was raised (in
Md) to take care of my family's cemetery plots in Lancaster, PA. No one in this cemetery is related to me, except through my husband, but this doesn't matter to me. I believe the people who are buried in this cemetery and any cemetery and their families should have their stones protected as much as possible, but the only way I can now get this done is to pay for it myself and ask others to help me.
These are the names of those whose stones were vandalized, according to Joe Solansky's Statement for Repair: Gawel, Simon and Karolina; Hobizal, Pius and Julie; Olsen, H., Sr.; Hobizal, Tom and Katie; English; Sanders, J.
L.., and Smith, Elizabeth.
Personally I belive we owe it to our pioneers. Period.
ReplyDeleteWho does the landscape maintenance? That is perpetual care.
I would like to know what the purchase contract stated when these plots were purchased. Did it stipulate perpetual care?
What does the contract state today? City cemetary's usually require perpetual care so the family can't just do as they please, and cause interferance with grounds upkeep. That is in the contract in the cematary where my family plot is located. Headstones must be in alignment, no raised footstones. Footstones can be at ground level. This allows military markers given to veterans.
Bill, City of Gonzales employee mows the Gonzales City Cemetery but volunteers cut down trees to allow the police to be able to see vandals more clearly and trim trees and then the City hauls the wood off and mulches it for the use of whoever wants the mulch. The men at the Intermediate Sanctions Facility, under the leadership of Keith Garner, Director, also do trimming and a few months ago went through the entire cemetery and straightened the tombstones that they could physically straighten, and also worked on the fence by the alley and on fences inside the cemetery that were old and falling over. Young people, like Scouts and others, plus people as old as I am, which includes my husband, work in the cemetery to help make it more beautiful. Some have paid out of their own pockets to have tombstones that were rusty and dirty cleaned by Joe Solansky's employees. What a great difference that made too. Tom Lindemann made some letters and a number for the front of the cemetery recently, which wasn't easy, to replace those that had fallen off sometime between 1838 and 1911 and disappeared. I don't think there is a purchase contract but Candice can tell you if you call her in the City Manager's office. Because this cemetery was established in 1838, don't think there has ever been any kind of contract, but I don't know for sure.
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS STATEMENT FROM JOE SOLANSKY:
ReplyDeleteRepair work Old Gonzales Cemetery, Gonzales , Texas as follows;
1. Gawel –Simon and Karolina
2. Hobizal—Pius and Julie----- May want to add a flower granite holder
3. H. Olsen Sr.-----------------3 piece unit to be re-erected
4. Hobizal-------- Tom and Katie---Reset top with epoxy glue
5. English-----Re-erect Monument & glue with epoxy--- Relevel base as needed---Place a steel pipe in concrete appox; 4 ½ ft tall
6. J L Sanders-------Re-erect Monument Tablet and set with epoxy glue
7. Elizabeth Smith---Build form with slight bevel on top of existing cement grave cover, dial pin, set broken marker into wet cement.
The above mentioned work would total ----900.00
If you want to omit #2 deduct 150.00
Thank you, let me know when you would like for us to start
Joe F Solansky 9-13-2011
Mrs. Leifeste.... Can you give an update on how much has been raised?
ReplyDeleteJo Ann Leifeste said...$100 which is from Don and me. Other people have said they are sending money but as of today when Capitol Monument received their mail, no other checks have been received. Thanks for asking. There will be a "Letter to the Editor" Friday, 2-10-12, in the "Gonzales Inquirer" giving this update, the names of those whose stones were vandalized and which repairs are needed for each one.
ReplyDeleteI mailed a check yesterday. Maybe others will also. Maybe the city council and mayor will donate a little from their pockets also.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill. Natalie at Capitol Monuments just emailed me about your donation. Now, we have $125 towards the needed $900. I will do another "Letter to the Editor" Monday for "The Cannon" giving an update on where we stand.
ReplyDeleteI dropped of my donation today. Put my money where my mouth is so to speak. Come on readers, it doesn't matter if it's $5 or $500 we'd like to get this fixed up.
ReplyDeleteAs you say dennis...every little bit helps. Maybe a little more publicty will help.
ReplyDeleteI did a walk thru of the cemetery today, and I was sickened at the stae the cemetery is in. I understand some of the monuments are made from limestone and not very durable, but the overall condition of the grounds. It looks like it was a lot worse, before the volunteers cleaned up. But there are still plies of cut limgs and trash bags scattered around.
It looks to me that citizens are going to have to step up and take care of the cemetery. Maybe a cemetery committee could be formed by and with the city council's blessings.
I found a lot of records on line, including a complete list of all internments. At least all that the monuments can be read.
I saw lots of war heros, CSA, WW-I, and WW-II. Some of those markers are damaged and worn also.
opps Dennis, with a capital. I'm old and don't type very good.
ReplyDeleteBill, Bob Burchard sets up Saturdays to work in the Gonzales City Cemetery and they are are advertised in the newspapers. You can reach him at bobb@gvec.net to find out when the next one will be.
ReplyDeleteBill,
ReplyDeleteI don't get upset over caps or grammar or punctuations on this blog. I make enough typos for all of us. :)
Bob has been the spearhead to clean up days at the city cemetery. I know the Scouts have helped 2x last year and we'll be helping again in April.
The city's responsibility is minimal. And as much as I would like to wave the taxpayers magic wand and fix it all, it's impractical and the cost would be endless. Not something that was paid for, nor can be absorbed by the city.
As you noted, the $900 is really just the tip of the iceberg, and if it wasn't for vandalism these handful of tombstones would be left the way of the others.
I was recently at the Woodsman of the Woods Cemetery and it has tons of history in it too, and in much worst shape.
Two years ago the scouts (as part of an Eagle project) went through the Jewish cemetery on Water Street and cleaned it out and set up headstones.
It's not that no one cares, it's that those who are willing to do something are stretched thin. As a nation we forgotten what civic duty is all about. Our government has told us don't worry about it, they'll take care of everything.
I'm proud to be the leader of a group of boys that are inspired by civic duty. It's part of their core beliefs. It's time more individuals look at these young men and follow their lead.
Dennis
Amen.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Leifeste: Any up date on donations?
ReplyDeleteIt is my great pleasure to report that with the additional financial gifts of Jerry Jacobs, Vicki and Paul Frenzel, Bobby Logan and Natalie Fric added to those of Dennis Nesser, Bill Sheppard, Lorenzo Hernandez, Allen Barnes, a single mother,and Don and me, we now have the $900 needed to repair the vandalized tombstones.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how pleased the families are whose loved ones' tombstones were vandalized because they will now know that, yes, there are people in our world who seek to destroy, but there are people in this world who seek to build, and so with the help of those who seek to build, Mr. Joe Solansky will rebuild those tombstones that were vandalized. I hope to publish pictures in this newspaper of the vandalized stones and the repaired stones, when he has completed his repairs.
If additional monies are received, I will call the donors and ask for their permission to use their financial gifts to clean these tombstones and other tombstones, as long as the money holds out. If someone wishes to discuss this with me by phone, my Cell # is 678-232-9258 and my email address is dorisjoann1@yahoo.com.
Thank you to Mr. Mundy and Mr. Adams for helping us reach this goal. We couldn't have done it without you.
Bill, will you send me your email address please? My email is dorisjoann1@yahoo.com. Thanks.
ReplyDelete