Shown from left are Oakwood Cemetery sexton Hal Heagy and Board of Regents members Ken Locke, Max Mock and Don Guthrie. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — Sexton Hal Heagy updated the Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents Thursday, June 12, on an acquisition the cemetery is looking into.

Heagy said he started the process of trying to acquire a neighboring property owned by Tom Kitch, “except for the house.”

Heagy said according to Beacon, Kitch owns the cemetery’s drive to the back gate. “That’s what spearheaded me to start this,” Heagy said. Kitch made an offer to Heagy a couple years ago and Heagy said he wasn’t interested. Heagy said he talked to Kitch Wednesday. Kitch said he runs everything through his sister and his power of attorney. There are woods on the property, so it can be filled. Heagy said there is a pond that the city stormwater goes into. Heagy said the pond isn’t clean water, but they could clean the water with aerators and put walkways around the pond, among other things, to make it a park-like area.

Earlier in the meeting, the board approved a plan Mike Lewis submitted for landscaping around burial plots he purchased. Lewis wants to beautify the land. Lewis owns about 160 lots and the landscaping plan covers about 60 of the lots. The plan includes adding trees, gate and possibly stones. Lewis is paying for all the landscaping.

For his peace of mind, Heagy brought out Mayor Jeff Grose. Grose asked Heagy when he would ever develop that area and Heagy’s answer was never because he would never put funerals in that area and the land is not usable because it’s not level enough. Heagy said Lewis is doing the cemetery a service by landscaping the area.

Board member Don Guthrie asked what Lewis’ expectations were for future burials. Heagy said he has not gotten there yet.

In other business, the board:

• Heard the extension of Cremation Garden No. 3 is still in progress.

• Heard electric lines were run to Legion Circle No. 3. Heagy’s goal was to have lights light up the circle. He said he purchased solar lights, which were installed on all the flag poles, so Legion Circles No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, as well as the Civil War Circle, are lit up.