Community Corner
Has the Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board Outlived its Usefulness?
Legislation is pending to dismantle the board, but some still see a role for it in this historic area.
The Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board hasn't met since 2003, according to the Baltimore Sun, but a proposition to dismantle the board may face opposition when it reaches the County Council.
"There are unmarked and unknown cemeteries in Howard County," Councilwoman Courtney Watson told the Sun. "When one is found, they need to have an advocate. We have to have respect for the people who came before us. I clearly have some reservations about disbanding a board in our code. This came out of the blue."
In a letter dated Sept. 22, the County's Department of Planning and Zoning recommended adopting Council Bill 52 - 2011, which proposes to eliminate the board, stating that "the tasks of the Board can now be effectively accomplished by the Department of Planning and Zoning."
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According to the statute, the Board is charged with identifying, cataloging and preserving the historic cemeteries in Howard County.
Who would you contact if you came across an unmarked grave site?
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