[Louisiana Cemeteries] Beekman and Shiloh cemeteries Morehouse Parish

From: Louisiana Cemeteries <louisianacemeteries@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Post RootsWeb <la-cemetery-preservation@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, louisianacemeteries@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, LouisianaCemeteryPreservation Yahoo Group <LouisianaCemeteryPreservation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Topica Louisiana Cemetery Preservation List <lacemeterypreservation@xxxxxxxxxx>, Post to Louisiana Cemeteries RootsWeb Mailing List <LA-CEMETERIES@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:17:41 -0800 (PST)

Compromise with recycler reached

http://www.bastropenterprise.com/topstories/x1179527088/Compromise-with-recycler-reached




BASTROP —

The emotions of residents from Beekman might be characterized as not happy but 
satisfied following an agreement that will address concerns surrounding a 
recycling business built adjacent to two community cemeteries.

 

The Morehouse Parish Police Jury will enter a cooperative endeavor agreement 
with Roadrunner Recycling to build a road to provide access to the Beekman and 
Shiloh cemeteries off Louisiana 142.

 

The agreement is part of a package approved by members of the jury at their 
Monday night meeting that address access to the cemetery and other concerns 
voiced by residents over a two-year period.

 

In addition to the access road, jurors are asking the Morehouse Parish 
Sheriff's Office to continue monitoring road conditions created by trucks and 
other vehicles leaving the recycling plant. The package also includes a letter 
to be sent to funeral homes that conduct services at the cemeteries, asking 
them to give Roadrunner owner Matt Barnes 24 hours notice so conditions along 
the existing Beekman Cemetery Road can be addressed and traffic into the 
business to be monitored to provide access during times of services.

 

Lisa Chain served as the spokesman for the nearly 60 community residents who 
flooded the meeting. Choking back tears, Chain said herself and others in the 
community have been offended by conditions surrounding the cemetery.

 

“You may say, 'Lisa Chain, you're taking this personal.' You're right. It is 
personal. It is personal to me for Jim and Juanita Chain, Ray and Izora 
Carpenter, Libba Moore,” and others, Chain said, reading several names of the 
413 persons buried at the two cemeteries.

 

Police Jury attorney Jay Mitchell also said he was asking the Louisiana 
Department of Transportation and Development to see if the state highway 
qualified as a Federal Priority Highway System Road, which might require Barnes 
to construct a new fence that would restrict the view of the recycling plant 
from the highway.

 

Under the agreement, Barnes will build a new access road the cemetery and 
provide an area to allow parking for approximately 20 vehicles. Barnes would 
then be allowed to maintain the existing road that serves his plant.

 

“I think when we get through with this, it will provide them better access and 
parking at the cemeteries,” Barnes said following the meeting. “We're working 
to try and improve the conditions out there as best we can.”

 

As she and many of her neighbors talked outside the Police Jury office after 
the meeting, Chain said the agreement was about the best the group could hope 
for.

 

“Am I happy? No. I wish it weren't there to begin with,” Chain said. “And I 
hope the jury will work with the state to try and help hide what's out there so 
we don't have to look at it. But I am satisfied that we finally were able to 
get something accomplished.”
Copyright 2011 Bastrop Daily Enterprise. Some rights reserved

[Louisiana Cemeteries] Beekman and Shiloh cemeteries Morehouse Parish

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