The Old Monroe City Cemetery is full of history.
"There are 11 Monroe mayors, buried there, founding fathers buried there."
Terry Ford with the Friends of the Old City Cemetery says he has a special respect for that history and he has a special request from the City of Monroe.
"We're simply asking city to hand over care of cemetery to our group, hire a private contractor."
Ford says he believes public works employees have inadvertently damaged, chipped and knocked down fragile stones during routine maintenance.
"We feel the cemetery is being ignored."
Currently, ford says they can't fully repair anything unless that grave belongs to an ancestor.
"With the cemetery as old as it is...not many left."
"vandalism, terrible destruction we have to do better."
City Councilman Ray Armstrong is working to help the group.
"They can give historic tours...make Monroe proud of this...repair monuments and take care of the grounds."
Armstrong says he met with the Mayor Jamie Mayo and the city councilman recently...
"This is Kenny Wilson's district...talked with mayor...reasonable ways organize to handle this."
And despite the request to turn over the care.... being turned down -- Armstrong says he will continue trying to help the group care for the cemetery.
"They want to take an aggressive active role, has to be done right way, figuring it out, certain we'll be successful."
"There are 11 Monroe mayors, buried there, founding fathers buried there."
Terry Ford with the Friends of the Old City Cemetery says he has a special respect for that history and he has a special request from the City of Monroe.
"We're simply asking city to hand over care of cemetery to our group, hire a private contractor."
Ford says he believes public works employees have inadvertently damaged, chipped and knocked down fragile stones during routine maintenance.
"We feel the cemetery is being ignored."
Currently, ford says they can't fully repair anything unless that grave belongs to an ancestor.
"With the cemetery as old as it is...not many left."
"vandalism, terrible destruction we have to do better."
City Councilman Ray Armstrong is working to help the group.
"They can give historic tours...make Monroe proud of this...repair monuments and take care of the grounds."
Armstrong says he met with the Mayor Jamie Mayo and the city councilman recently...
"This is Kenny Wilson's district...talked with mayor...reasonable ways organize to handle this."
And despite the request to turn over the care.... being turned down -- Armstrong says he will continue trying to help the group care for the cemetery.
"They want to take an aggressive active role, has to be done right way, figuring it out, certain we'll be successful."
