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Nonprofit to begin cleanup of Western Pine Cemetery on MLK Day after police jury hands control to group
Summary
A community nonprofit will begin cleaning and documenting Western Pine Cemetery on Martin Luther King Jr. Day after the parish police jury turned control over to the group; council members and the mayor pledged support and asked staff to consider funding options.
A local nonprofit will begin restoring Western Pine Cemetery on Martin Luther King Jr. Day after the parish police jury turned control of the site to the group in December.
Ronnie Edwards, a board member of the nonprofit formed to restore the site, told the council the police jury voted Dec. 9 to transfer control of the cemetery to the group. Edwards said the organization will hold a community cleanup and initial mapping effort from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 20 and invited council members and residents to participate.
Edwards said preliminary work will include locating headstones, clearing growth and creating a listing of people buried in the cemetery; he said there are no complete official burial lists for the site. He described the project as a combination of historical preservation, neighborhood beautification and economic-development work.
Mayor and council members said they support the idea and will consider modest funding from district allocations or a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement if legally permissible. The group asked the council for assistance with tents and logistical support and for help identifying potential grant sources or district funds to cover supplies.
Board member Melvin Mayo and volunteer organizers said they plan to use the event to begin a longer-term project to clear and document burial plots and to raise funds for ongoing maintenance.
