On Monday, county commissioners unanimously approved making it possible for those selected for jury duty to donate their pay to keeping the area clean.
This is a historic spot for the county. It holds the headstone of the Jones, Impson, Heldenfels and Wilson families — to name only a few.
Originally, a cemetery association was charged with the care of the grounds.
However, that association was disbanded years ago and the cemetery slowly fell into disrepair.
With no one caring for it, weeds grew tall and branches hung low.
In a meeting four months ago, commissioners took back the cemetery.
Within a month, Normanna Fire Chief Al Hoelscher offered the services of his department to clean up the area.
The cemetery — known locally as the “pioneer cemetery” — got an early sprucing by county maintenance crews, along with prisoners from the McConnell Unit.
County Judge David Silva shortly after that cleanup said that the county had already been conducting limited cleanup operations at the cemetery, but that a cancellation for work at the Expo Center allowed maintenance crews to devote their time to the cemetery.
Since then, many repairs have been made to the area, including fixing the overhead lights.
The option to allow jurors to donate their pay will help keep the historic area clean.
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