City to consider contribution to cemetery repairs

The Parsons City Commission was to consider on Monday applying $22,505 in tourism funds to help repair a retaining wall at Oakwood Cemetery.

The Historic Oakwood Cemetery Improvement Funds would pay $20,000 toward the cost of the retaining wall. The cemetery preservation group is putting grant funds toward repairing retaining walls in Grand Army of the Republic circles at Oakwood where Civil War veterans are buried.

Dave Mattox told city commissioners on Thursday that Oakwood is now on the state and national registers of historic places. He hopes to recognize this at a scheduled fall historical tour of Oakwood on Sept. 21. The improvement group, which are held by the Parsons Area Community Foundation, has an endowed fund of $43,300 and a non-endowed fund of $54,000, Mattox said.

The group also received a $25,000 grant in the last two years for cemetery improvements.

Mattox said this fall the group will plant oak trees in the cemetery. Recent years of drought and heat have been hard on the old stands of oaks.

King Masonry and Construction has been hired to repair the deteriorated retaining walls around Antietam circles. He hopes that the work can be done by the tour on Sept. 21.

The $25,000 grant and $15,000 from the non-endowed fund will pay for this work, which should begin in a couple of weeks. There are four areas in the circles with the worst damage. 

“We’re excited about that. It’s been a long time coming,” Mattox said.

He said King will remove the bad sections of the retaining walls at the circles, pour a footing and replace the walls with as much of the original materials as possible. 

Mattox asked for the city’s help on the retaining wall at the cemetery entrance. The improvement fund could pay most of the $42,505 for replacing this wall, tuck pointing and adding a 3-inch concrete cap on the walls. He preferred not to deplete the non-endowed funds that are available, however.

“It’s in really bad shape and in danger of collapsing,” Mattox said.

Mattox said the non-endowed fund could spare $20,000 toward fixing the retaining wall, leaving $22,505 for the city’s side, if agreed.

City staff, including City Manager Debbie Lamb and Economic Development Director Jim Zaleski, indicated that tourism funds could be used for this. A tax on motel guests in town contributes to the tourism fund and the motels have been doing well, commissioners heard.

Mattox said people are already beginning to visit Oakwood more now that it’s on the state and national registers.

“It’s only going to get better,” he said.

Commissioners were to consider the issue Monday.

Commissioners on Thursday also heard a report from Burns and McDonnell Engineering on the downtown project to improve sidewalks and parking.