The city of Snohomish is caught up in a legal matter that appears to pit respect for the deceased against reverence and concern for our living elders.
Two families whose pioneer ancestors are buried at Snohomish Cemetery are threatening to sue the city if it does not move the Snohomish Senior Center, which sits above the graveyard. It’s an understandably sensitive subject that demands concession and compromise in order to reach a resolution that keeps the senior center intact while respecting the buried ancestors.
The families offered $10,000 for Snohomish to relocate the center and restore the cemetery. But the city isn’t budging — on moving the center or the bodies. Last Thursday, the families’ $10,000 offer expired, and now they may bring Snohomish back to court if their demands aren’t met.
Snohomish officials say the city is committed to moving the bodies — eventually. Delaying the effort seems to be a critical diplomatic mistake on the part of the city. Even a small concession made by the city to the concerned families might offer some reassurance that the memory of their ancestors is being respected, and that something will be done soon to remedy the present situation — something that doesn’t involve getting rid of the senior center.
Ultimately, it is the older residents of Snohomish who stand to lose the most in the midst of this dispute. Assurance from the city that the pioneers’ remains will be "removed with time" just isn’t enough for the seniors urging the city to move the issue off the back burner and take care of it. Relocating the senior center would likely cripple the budget for the facility, as would any lawsuit filed against it.
As member Joyce Shanan said, "The kids got a skate park. There’s a library and a youth center planned — all are important … When do we get on the list?"
Burial grounds are revered sites for many cultures. Letters to the editor prove how justifiably upset people become when grave markers are vandalized. However, this particular cemetery had been in considerable disrepair and neglect for some time. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Charles French ruled back in 1998 that those buried there would be better served if they were moved to another site. And this isn’t the first time bodies would have to be moved from the Snohomish Cemetery. Many graves were relocated in the late 1940s to make way for what is now Second Street, when it was built down the middle of the cemetery. Moving the bodies is not an unreasonable plan, but it must be accomplished in a timely manner for all parties involved.
The families whose ancestors are buried there and Snohomish’s senior citizens have valid concerns. Both groups deserve to "get on the list."
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
