Decision On Preacher’s Stand Tabled Until Repair Estimate In
Decision On Preacher’s Stand Tabled Until Repair Estimate In
Posted
Jackie Gorski-
Decision On Preacher’s Stand Tabled Until Repair Estimate InThe Preacher’s Stand in Oakwood Cemetery may not be taken down as the Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents Thursday voted to reconsider the issue and table a decision.
During October’s meeting, sexton Hal Heagy asked for input from the Board on whether he should invest money to fix up the Preacher’s Stand or take it down. 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.
During December’s meeting, then-Board member Chris Plack motioned to table the discussion. However, Plack then motioned to take the Preacher’s Stand down. December was Plack’s last meeting on the Board.
Thursday, Heagy said Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer received some phone calls about the Preacher’s Stand after the vote and Thallemer asked Heagy to come to one of the Warsaw Common Council meetings in December. Thallemer asked Heagy to take a look at the Preacher’s Stand decision again with the amount of people that responded to the decision.
Heagy said he was fine with looking at what to do with the Preacher’s Stand again.
Heagy said he was not prepared to give the Cemetery Board an actual number to do repairs to the Preacher’s Stand on Thursday. He had previously given a number of $6,000 to do the repairs on the high end. Thursday, he said he hasn’t had time to figure out what it would actually cost since “we will do most of the work.” Heagy said he will get the Board an actual number and they can vote on it then.
Heagy also mentioned Scott Clay had started a GoFundMe campaign, which was started shortly after December’s decision to take down the Preacher’s Stand.
In an interview in December, Clay said he understands why the Board decided to use the money elsewhere and be more fiscally conservative. He started the GoFundMe campaign after seeing the outcry from residents from news it was voted to be taken down.
Thursday, Heagy said if Clay wants to donate the money from the GoFundMe campaign to the cemetery, he can and the cemetery won’t turn it down. Heagy said the cemetery isn’t part of the campaign. Heagy said he’s not expecting any money. “Do I want any money? No.”
Heagy said it was nice for Clay to put the campaign together.
In other business:
• Board members Arthur Brown and Ken Locke were sworn in into their positions by Thallemer.
• The Board learned Heagy is planning on placing water lines in the new eastern section of the cemetery.
• The Board learned the cemetery is doing a wood giveaway. Heagy said people can go to Combined Community Services for a voucher and the cemetery will give the person a truck load of wood a month to heat their homes.
