GLOCESTER – Bill Brown once again approached the Town Council regarding adding a new department to care for historical cemeteries in the town after his original request this year was turned down by the Budget Board. The result was a heated argument with Town Council President William Worthy telling Brown to step away from the microphone after he accused the council of not appreciating and/or honoring veterans.
“It’s a shame, we don’t all see the need, the history, the respect…all of it,” Brown told the council.
“Wait a minute,” responded Steere. “Don’t put words in my mouth. That’s not true. I understand all of that. I also understand the reality is you have to pay for this, and, I’m telling you we have to support the whole town and all the other different departments that run the town. There’s only so much money that we have, and we have to do the best we can. In a perfect world, I would love to do that. We just don’t have that money.”
Brown approached the council in January, asking them to add a department of four workers who would care for historical cemeteries to the town’s paid staff. He explained he currently gets a House grant, a Senate grant, and a grant from the Glocester Historical Society, as well as funds from the town to help pay for tools and equipment needed. He said that there needed to be some kind of full-time care, however, moving forward. There are approximately 128 historical cemeteries in Glocester, most on private land. Some are cared for by property owners and some by local companies on whose land the cemeteries are located.
Over the past five years Brown and a group of volunteers have cleaned and restored all the historical cemeteries in town. Some of the graves date back to the Revolutionary War. The council told him his proposal to add a new department to takeover the mission would need to be in this year’s budget and that he should prepare a presentation for the Budget Board, the first step in the process.
The Budget Board, however, denied the request, citing a lack of funds for such an expensive addition to the town work force. As a result, Brown suggested adding a special referendum to this year’s November ballot, asking taxpayers to approve or deny his request.
Steere explained that the town can only increase its budget by 4 percent, according to state regulations. If a department of the size Brown proposed were to be added, Steere asked where cuts would be made out of next year’s budget asking if Brown felt councilors should defund the police department, the Department of Public Works or other necessary personnel.
“We rely mostly on the Budget Board input,” said Steere. “What are we going to cut?”
When Brown suggested cutting the recreation department, Steere said recreation helps a great many people in the town, including running summer recreation programs, organizing parades and various events, and a myriad of other tasks important to residents.
“We are trying to do the best we can with what money we have,” Steere said. “I will be honest with you.”
Steere added that no one else in the state has a department devoted to restoring and maintaining historical cemeteries, and that the town has already given thousands of dollars to Brown’s group for restoration. At one point, he said, the town allocated $14,000 to the program, and has allotted $6,000 to 7,000 each year in support. But to create a department, which would cost the town approximately $300,000, Steere said, was out of the question.
“I don’t see how the town can absorb that,” he said.
Steere added that the Budget Board looked at all the requests and had decided it would not fit into the budget. There were simply no additional monies.
“Why should I go by what you say?” responded Brown.
“I’m just telling you facts,” said Steere.
Steere also pointed out that the cemetery group is not a town entity.
“We are not affiliated with the town at all,” agreed Brown.
“We all praise what you do for our veterans and cemeteries in this town,” said Worthy.
“It’s very honorable – the work that you and your volunteers have done,” said Steere. “But to be a town department… I just don’t see it.”
“How many other places in the state do this?” he asked.
“We would be the first one,” said Brown.
Councilors noted that even if the issue were put on a referendum and approved by voters, it did not mean the town could afford it. It might wind up being an empty department, said Worthy. Additionally, Brown’s proposed plan would be bypassing the normal process of approving/disapproving funding through the budget board and the council, who by law are tasked with allotting town monies and controlling budgets.
Brown asked why the town couldn’t just bypass that. When Brown said the council did not care about veterans’ gravesites, Worthy erupted.
“You’re saying we don’t care about our veterans in this town,” said Worthy. “That’s where I draw the line. I take offense to that. You’re disrespecting us. You are disrespectful and out of line. Everybody up here cares about what you do. You’re not getting your way; so, now you’re going to attack us. I will not stand for that.”
At that point Worthy dismissed Brown and asked he move away from the microphone, which Brown did and left the room.
Mr. Brown has unrealistic expectations and quite frankly is taking a disappointing stand on the matter. The spirit of voluntary service within a community should not be a veiled attempt to turn the task into a paid municipal full time job. When I was on the council I made it clear that I would not support a paid department to maintain anything on private property. As a taxpayer I stand firm on my take on this matter.