HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07222003 - D1 DA
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA. COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Date: July 22, 2003 Public Comment
The Chair invited those who wished to address the Board for public comment.
The following person presented testimony:
Lee Fisher, Friends of Pacheco Cemetery, 191 Mountaire Parkway, Clayton,
regarding the new ownership of the Pacheco Pioneer Cemetery and the
current status of the cemetery.
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Board to consider:
Friends of Pacheco Pioneer Cemetery
CIO 85 Southbank Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
To The Supervisors, County of Contra Costa
Re. Pacheco Cemetery
July 22,2003
Most Honorable Supervisors,
Thank you for your continued awareness and interest in the future of the historic Pacheco
Cemetery. I want to take this opportunity to update you on the current status of the cemetery.
As you know, Mr. Eric Bianco has purchased a note of trust from Charlie Clay and has filed for a
land use permit. He has mowed the weeds and cleaned up around the buildings.
However, (and this is only a partial list of the problems),we're sure you must recognize....
The Land Use planner has given him a list of 14 items to fulfill, many are extensive and costly.
He has not applied for a Certificate of Authority from the State Cemetery and Funeral Board.
ft .t, _. ._o,ation, of H fth and sal- ;v codes, 858.45 ,.o buy a c rnetexy° BEFORE acquiri
0erf f Bate of Au,- ; fit'; i
He has not filed for a business license nor filed a ficticious name document in this county.
He has not filed a deed nor tried to quiet the title, he only holds a note of trust.
's" i3�"<�u_`" ��y�Ef:�`�� �� E :�� ���v�.4 �#�£t3€ #i��?s� � c�?3 �� �ti<� i� h 3�5�v;�'e v.�
(It is a violat'oi. ,3f tie Cal fbrnia Code of R--a atlom 231'26(a)/"(G)# to told, C not
Mr. Bianco has no experience, nor a license to be a cemetery manager, nor a crematory manager.
(it is `fin :',�.�.Ation of fw.4srx'sv Let-vv m not have ii es;%- b'e4i3_ffn ope-nalino-a cenn-cte. and/or
:'re nat,-r v, Actin i�as a managcr 'INCL DES unci i£,e:isance�C}f she grounds.
s.
Againtie's violati-ngg stale codes,)
Since Ms. Gawenda filed for bankruptcy and abandoned the cemetery a full 8 years ago in 1995,
various unqualified and unlicensed "owners" have held the cemetery hostage from the families
and the community. Now, AGAIN, we have an unqualified, unlicensed, uncertified owner
holding it hostage. Should one of us who has a plot still available, die before this is settled, there
is no legal way to be buried in this cemetery.
Our group, Friends of Pacheco Pioneer Cemetery, continues to assert that the public acquired
legal title to this cemetery before 1900, and its use was therefore dedicated to the public. We
further assert that you, our Board of Supervisors has the legal authority and the duty to claim
back the cemetery on our behalf. In doing so, you could deed it directly to the Alamo Lafayette
Cemetery District. That is our desire, both as family members and as members of the public.
As you know,we are willing to come alongside them and you to raise funds for this to happen.
This cemetery is not a "dead cemetery." There is significant potential there, given proper
management and planning. if it were in non-profit hands, it could become a financial asset to the
county and a low-cost place of burial for the Pacheco townspeople. Public cemetery districts are
able to provide lower costs for the public since they are non-profit.
Regardless of the method of transfer, we continue to hope and pray that the cemetery district
may someday acquire the Pacheco Cemetery for the good of the families, the Pacheco
community and the county.
Thank you, again, for your continued concern. We ask that you help us to ensure this cemetery
will never again be abused as it has in the past.
Sincerely,
Lee Fisher(on behalf of Friends of Pacheco Cemetery)
Contacts, Christine Williams, 831-659-1307 or email: t imam i c ,con
Or Beverly Bollman. 415-221-3587