The turnout was good and we had a large crowd. Everybody had a chance to speak and we listened. We’ll take what they said, try to address the concerns and make tweaks on the bill. I fully intend to move forward to set up a mechanism to solve this problem.”Shedd
CULLMAN – “You know the situation. They took the people’s money and ran. It’s just that simple. They left us to deal with it here in our community,” opened State Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview.
Dealing with the situation were local citizens at a public hearing held Saturday morning at Cullman City Hall. The forum provided residents an opportunity to discuss Shedd’s proposed Cemetery Board legislation. The legislation is in response to the worsening conditions at the bankrupt Cullman Memory Gardens, located at 1516 Bolte Road SE.
The legislation would create a board that could negotiate for the control of Cullman Memory Gardens, acquire the cemetery and then set up a nonprofit organization to maintain it in the future. The money listed in the bill would be generated from local sales tax, not money already allocated to another area, according to Shedd.
“We’re very fortunate in our community that our sales tax has grown and is continuing to grow due to good business development and good decisions in the area, so the county’s budget this year will grow about a million dollars,” said Shedd.
Shedd says his proposal would take $50,000 of that increase and put it toward equipment, operations or needed expense. The board would not be required to take over cemeteries in disrepair and would set up its own guidelines.
Additionally, the Cullman County Sheriff would be authorized to use local jail inmates to provide maintenance at Cullman Memory Gardens, a practice already used by the Cullman County Parks.
Many of those in attendance shared their continuing frustration with the handling of the cemetery, its bankruptcy and the bankruptcy court-appointed trustee. For years, the only cemetery upkeep done has been by volunteers, a difficult job with no running water or electricity, according to resident Eddie Williams, whose daughter and other family members are buried at the cemetery.
Resident Mary Schwaiger said the cemetery was nice when her first husband was buried there in 1965. She and her sister-in-law, Shirley Smith, have buried many family members there in the past fifty years. Supportive of the proposal, Smith said, “I think the hearing was great. We need a committee that can get in there and get things done. They need to cut down the costs for those of us who have to rebury our people.”
Those in opposition were quick to voice their empathy for those personally affected by the cemetery’s demise; however, they feel the proposal is a bailout.
“It’s not the taxpayers’ problem or fault that it happened,” stated Jacqueline Schendel. “It’s a minimum of $50,000. If you read the bill, it starts at fifty grand. They’re saying it might take $3 million to clean up this mess. OK folks, where’s that $3 million going to come from?”
Shedd concluded, “The turnout was good and we had a large crowd. Everybody had a chance to speak and we listened. We’ll take what they said, try to address the concerns and make tweaks on the bill. I fully intend to move forward to set up a mechanism to solve this problem.”
Shedd encourages those with additional questions or input to contact him at randall.shedd@alhouse.gov.
