Cemetery Board Discusses Future Of ‘Preacher’s Stand’
Posted
Jackie Gorski-
Oakwood Cemetery sexton Hal Heagy asked for input from the Oakwood Board of Regents members Thursday on whether he should invest money to fix up the preacher’s stand or take it down.
Heagy said it is just a thought and nothing is happening as of yet. He said things are starting to fall off the building and he has to put money into fixing it or have it taken down.
The preacher’s stand is a pavilion-like structure with auditorium-like seating behind the cemetery’s office.
For some people, the preacher’s stand structure has been an icon of the cemetery for a long time, Heagy said. It used to be used once a year by the American Legion Post for Memorial Day events, but it is not being used by the cemetery now.
Homeless people use it as a place to sleep. Heagy said he doesn’t mind it being used for that purpose. He said Salvation Army Envoy Ken Locke sends people over and tells them to be out by 7 a.m. Heagy said they usually are.
Heagy said he won’t replace the preacher’s stand if it is taken down.
He said he wanted the Board members to give him their feedback, whether it was at the meeting or anytime afterward. He said he was OK with either decision.
Board member Chris Plack said he is worried about the liability issues they might face if the structure is deteriorating.
Heagy said a lot of money doesn’t have to be put in the preacher’s stand. He estimated roughly $5,000 to $6,000 if he did most of the work himself. Heagy said the structure is sound. There’s some vandalism, gutters and doors that need to be fixed. The roof is bad.
Plack said he understands that, but by letting the issues go further, the liability issues increases.
Board member Max Mock asked if the preacher’s stand was taken down, how much pushback was Heagy going to get about it? Heagy said he didn’t see a lot of feedback.
Getting community feedback was suggested.
Heagy said he would be OK with putting out a community survey to get feedback.
Mock said doing a survey for community input would be the way to go. Board President Arthur Brown agreed.
