Residents seek help with cemeteries

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — Concerned residents of Trinity County sought help from the Commissioners Court with upkeep and care of several dilapidated cemeteries in the county.

At the May 23 meeting, Museum Director Susanne Waller said that the Millican Cemetery on FM 1617, as well as many others, are overgrown and many are inaccessible because of the terrible conditions that exist, which include trash dumping.

Currently, there are 70 cemeteries in Trinity County, 15 of which have been designated as historical sites.

Waller said there needs to be some sort of program for care but have found there are no funds designated for upkeep.

Commissioner Mike Loftin said that he realizes there is a problem, but it’s one that doesn’t have a solution since at this time, there is no manpower available to work at the cemeteries.

Loftin said that at one time, the county used jail trustys for the work, but that option is no longer available; Sheriff Woody Wallace said the jail can house only seven prisoners, and those must be the difficult inmates, and prisoner help can’t be used.

The court will view the cemeteries and discuss the matter further.

In other business, the county:

•set a public hearing of June 13 to extend Texas Transportation Code laws to all roads in the Trinity Cove subdivision;

•approved refinancing at 2020 CAT wheel loader with First National Bank;

•declared county items as surplus;

•approved a memorandum of understanding with the Deep East Texas Council of Governments for the Genasys mass notification system;

•approved a bid for three grow lights for Precinct 4; and

•approved participation in a settlement regarding a multi-district opioid lawsuit.