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Murphy Cemetery access dispute flagged for executive session by Houston County officials
Summary
William McKnight told the Houston County Commissioners the property owner is refusing to unlock a gate and allow access to Murphy Cemetery; County Attorney Hugh Coleman recommended the matter be added to the next agenda for executive-session discussion.
William McKnight, representing Murphy Cemetery, told the Houston County Commissioners at their April 14 meeting that the cemetery remains inaccessible because the landowner will not unlock a gate to permit access. The concern was raised during the recognition and comments portion of the session.
Hugh Coleman, the county attorney, advised the court that the situation should be placed on the next agenda for discussion in executive session, a move the court did not vote on at this meeting but which Coleman said would allow the county to consider legal and property-rights options. No formal motion or vote on a remedy occurred at the April 14 meeting.
The item was recorded for possible future action; the minutes note the court may discuss whether to include the matter on a future agenda for deliberation and/or action. The minutes do not list who owns the land, whether any written access requests were made, or any prior steps taken by the county to secure access to the cemetery.
The court handled the cemetery remark as informational only; it did not take action, and the minutes show the county attorney recommended executive-session placement for follow-up. The next procedural step recorded in the minutes is the county attorney's suggestion rather than a directive from the court.
