Councilwoman Connie Robinson Appalled by Condition of Oak Hill Cemetery

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Councilwoman Connie Robinson

I took the opportunity visit to Oak Hill Cemetery of Sunday July 29, 2012 to investigate the condition of some of the tombstones that Councilman John Friend and Jordan Baer had informed the City Council about. I would suggest that all my fellow City Council members go out to Oak Hill and see this for themselves.

My investigation of this cemetery that is on the National Register was shocking and disturbing. I was literally appalled by what I saw. I found broken tombstones, tombstones that had been knocked over, and others that were only a few feet apart. It was obvious they had been broken or displaced for a long period of time

I ask myself the question, how do we plot the burials? A tombstone was hanging on the sewer. Was that tombstone just stuck there or is a casket in the sewer?

We as elected official and employees of the City Of Evansville have been entrusted with the remains of our loved ones. We need to do something about these broken tombstones. It may be expensive but let us be creative about how we can repair the tombstones or rectify this problem. Some of the tombstones are old and their might not be any family members left.

This is a city facility and we need to take pride in this historic facility. This is not a problem that just occurred. From the looks of things this has been going on for years. I could go on and on about what I found but I will not.

I have been told that Locust Hill is worse. I have not yet toured that cemetery. I became intrigued by the situation at Oak Hill and start communicating with people that had family members buried there. Everyone that I talked with was aware of the broken tombstones but they thought it was the family’s responsibility.
If the deceased does not have any family members living how can it be their responsibility? It is the City of Evansville’s responsibility!

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25 COMMENTS

  1. That’s quite a turn-around from your “no complaints from the dead” comment Connie. One of those things that make me go hmmmm.

    • No it wasn’t Connie Robinson who said that. The statement was made by none other than 1st Ward City Councilmen, Dan McGinn.

      In fact I was so offended by his statement about the dead I shall never support him for any future elected office.

      Oh, thanks Connie for finally getting it right on the grave yard situation.

      • I cannot believe a councilman would feel this way. I, like pressankey, would like to hear from council member McGinn about this. If did in fact make these comments, I hope he has since had a change of heart.

  2. Is it true that the City Council, County Commissioners, APC, Water and Sewer Board, Parks Board, BPW, and other electeda and appointed boards all should adopt a policy that each member visit the site of a proposed project, rezoning, or whatever is the subject of a motion or ordinance that comes before that board for a vote? That this is especially true for any board comprised of members who are paid or who enjoy health care benefits for their part time work? That to vote on a motion that will impact business, property owners, neighbors, general public, or public coffers without ever visiting the applicant or affected site is utter neglect of duty?

  3. If you’re serious about preservation of the cemeteries and not just trying to score political points, you will follow the guidelines of people who deal with this problem a lot.

    New Hampshire has some of the oldest cemeteries in the country, and the New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association has published guidelines on dealing with broken headstones PROPERLY.

    Not following these guidelines will risk further damaging the already fragile stones and wouldn’t be much better than taking a sledgehammer to them.

    Please read the following in its entirety before going forward!!!

    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair
    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair
    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair
    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair
    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair
    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair

  4. Mr Linzy. Your “guidelines” may have more to do with the state of these headstones then any neglect by the current and previous administrations. When you make a job more complicated an expensive it is less likely to get done.
    But I am sure Ms. Robinson can find a company, perhaps a minority company to do this job to your desired “guidelines”.

    • Boy, you are a Grumpy Old Man, huh? 😉

      I wasn’t attacking anyone or pointing the finger of blame. In fact, the previous Administration did better to do nothing than to rush it and do the wrong thing.

      If you read the article I linked to, they discuss in some depth exactly what to do and what NOT to do in terms of preservation. If you hire Joe Blow with a concrete truck to come in and start setting all the stones in concrete, you’re doing an amazing amount of damage.

      All I’m saying is the article to which I linked needs to be required reading for the Councilmen involved in making any decisions going forward. Slapping a band aid on it will mean that in a few short years, the same headstones will be broken in several more places and the Council will have to answer for that negligence.

  6. Thanks for John Friend, Al Lindsey and Connie Robinson for stading up to start cleaning up the mess at our grave yards!

    Any body heard from any other Councilpersons concerning their stance on this issue?

  7. I was told that two black woman ( Williams and Robinson) from 4th Ward democratic party were ask to resign from their leadership positions for helping the new Mayor to get elected. Why didn’t Chris Cooke (guy who runs Oak Hill and Locust Hiil cementeries) be allowed to keep his 2nd Ward democratic leadership position? In case you didn’t know that Mr. Cooke was seen at Winnenke for Mayor headquaters stuffing envelopes.

    Maybe this is why Mr. Cooke tells people is he politically untouchable!

    Looks like reversed racism to me!

  8. I’m personally offended to hear that 1st Ward City Councilman, Dan McGinn would make an unacceptable remark about our dead. I thought Councilman, McGinn was a class act and was extremely proud of his service to the community.

    My wife played cards with Mr. McGinns wife and told me she would be extremely upset if she knew that Dan made that horrorable comment about the deceased.

    Thanks to Connie Robinson for reversing her stance on Oak Hill.

    I look forward to Councilman McGinn making a public retraction concerning his insulting comment about the dead.

  9. Why hasn’t the Mayor made a statement on the Oak Hill issue. I got it, he can’t make this a positve photo op out of rhis issue.

    Who cares, everyone knows that Connie Robinson has more political clout then the Mayor anyway.

    Thanks Mrs. Robinson for doing the right thing.

  10. Connie is the talk of the civic center today. We hear that the 2nd Ward “Political Boss” Cooke is in hiding

    Also hear the 2nd Ward political boss has made a personal appointment to show his political buddy, Councilman Dan Adams to show him Oak Hill in a couple of days. I wonder why Mr. Cooke won’t plan a public tour by inviting all city council members, local media and the Mayor and his staff to show them what a wonderful job he is doing at Oak Hill and Locust Hill cemeteries alike?

    • Wait a minute. You mean Councilman H. Dan “Got the Lowdown on Everything” Adams hasn’t yet visited Oak Hill Cemetery even after all the hullabaloo, and before he rendered his expert opinions on how gravestones should be displayed flat on the ground?

      • According to the New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association, the best thing for headstones that are cracked vertically is to lie them prostrate on a bed of gravel (for drainage) within a box of timbers.

        He wasn’t far off from a proper solution for vertically broken headstones. However, for laterally broken stones it is recommended they be affixed with proper stainless steel sleeves or aluminum Nelson Stone Braces.

        http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhoga/preservation.htm#Repair

        • In Mr. Cooke’s defense, you can’t magically fix broken headstones without a proper budget for doing that.

          Ham-fisted “solutions” to satisfy political pressure are worse than doing nothing.

          People need to be wary of quick fixes here and do the right things, not just the politically expedient things.

      • Dont kid yourself-Doc Adams has already been there, he just wants to give somebody their chance to act stupid-give enough
        rope…

        • Then wouldn’t it make more sense to act on what he already knows, propose a solution to the problems he’s seen, and push it done? Or is he just an opinionated paper tiger without political pull?

  11. Thanks to John Friend, Al Lindsey and Connie Robinson for stepping forward to correct the blight at Oah Hill.

    Wonder why the “KEEP Evansville Neat” people haven’t taken a public stance on this sad situation?

  12. Sounds like Mr. Cooke is related to you.

    You just don’t get it. Mr. Cooke has a political patronage job. He was hired because of politics not because of his qualifications.

    Also sounds like you need to hook up with Dan Adams so you both can see the mess at both grave yards.

  13. Oh, forgot to thank Connie Robinson for speaking out on this important social issue.

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