2006-06-01 / Letters

Johnson misleading

I am responding to the statements made by Ron Johnson in the press about my knowledge of the issues pertaining to the Paxton Cemeteries and his statement that I am "trying to confuse others."

Apparently, Mr. Johnson has not done any research to back up the statements he has made in the press and in public conversation. For example, Ron stated that when burial lots are purchased in the Mooreland Cemetery, those lots can only be used by the family members and cannot be resold by the owner or by the commission. According to the cemetery records, Mr. Johnson purchased 12 lots in Mooreland Cemetery back in 1983 and today he owns only four lots. What has happened to the other eight lots? Did Ron Johnson resell them? Also, according to state law, the Cemetery Commission does have the right to resell unused lots after 75 years.

Ron also states that the new expansion with 860 grave lots just about duplicates the developed section. If he had taken a minute to look at the Town Hall's Mooreland Cemetery map, he would have seen that there is a total of 2,400 grave lots in the present section. This is another example of Ron stating something as fact that is total fiction.

He also states that this new expansion was laid out by the 1914 Cemetery Commission. That's true, but that doesn't mean that it's still the right plan for this day and age. He said to take a walk through the cemetery and see how full it is. Is this the extent of his research to warrant an expansion?

Ron states that the original 1914 expansion plan was to create lots for new people moving into town. The truth is that 30 percent of Paxton's population moves out of town before they retire and don't buy lots in the Mooreland Cemetery.

Mr. Johnson has been misleading the citizens of Paxton and his actions over the years are unforgivable. It's time for him to stop.

Christopher Stone


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