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Resident urges action on Memorial Lane Cemetery upkeep, cites drainage and safety issues
Summary
At the March 24 Silver City council meeting, resident Diana Henkins showed photos and urged the council to address erosion, displaced headstones and poor drainage at Memorial Lane Cemetery, calling for accountability from parks staff and for the town to prioritize remaining drainage funding.
Diana Henkins, a lifelong Silver City resident, told the Town Council at its March 24 meeting that Memorial Lane Cemetery is in a state of neglect and urged immediate action. "If the cemetery was purchased for historical value, when are we going to show some pride in this?" she asked, showing a loop of photographs she said documented eroded walkways, weeds and tree limbs lying on plots.
Henkins said maintenance failures include rutted paths, displaced name plates and headstones moved by poor drainage. She described workers running hoses over plots and leaving damaged solar lights and other items in grave areas, and asked council members to hold Parks & Maintenance leadership accountable, naming Peter Pena in the audience as the department lead she expected to follow up.
The concern drew an immediate response from state representatives at the meeting: a council discussion and later remarks by legislators noted that some funds have been allocated for Memorial Lane drainage improvements. A council speaker said that, for fiscal 2027–2031, $100,000 of a $500,000 project for Memory Lane drainage work has been fulfilled so far and that roughly $400,000 remains to be secured to complete subsequent phases.
The council did not take an immediate vote on the cemetery maintenance issues during the public comment period. Councilors and visiting legislators encouraged follow-up and prioritized the project for future capital outlay consideration. Councilors also referenced opportunities to include the drainage work in the town’s top-three priorities to increase chances of additional capital outlay funding.
The council’s manager and public works staff were present and received Henkins’s photos and complaints; Henkins asked the council to ensure that staff implement a staggered maintenance schedule, saying, "Start at the top. Not all workers need to be at the ballpark at the same time." The meeting record does not show a formal motion or timetable for corrective work; council members asked staff to bring back follow-up information.
