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THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Date. January 21,2003 Matter of Record
On this date, the Board called for public comment. The following persons
presented testimony:
Valerie Longmire, 321 Jordan.Court,Martinez regarding retaining public
status for"Friends of the Pacheco Cemetery"
Scotty Loucks, 3216 Acalanes Avenue, Lafayette regarding Pacheco
Pioneer Cemetery.
THIS IS A MATTER FOR.RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN
Facsimile Transmission
Date: January 18, 2003
From: Scotty Loucks
3216 Acalanes Ave.
Lafayette, Ca. 94549
925-934-9191
Fax-925-287-1786
E-mail 5cottyL
To: Contra Costa Board of Supervisors
John Gioia, Fax 510.374.3429
Gayle Uilkema,Fax 925.335.1076
Donna Gerber, Fax 925.820.6627
Mark De Saulnier,Fax 925.646.5767
Federal Clover,Fax 925.427.8142
Clerk of the Board,Fax 925.335.1913
Senator Tom Torlakson,Fax 925.642.6598
Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla,Fax 925.372.0934
Congressman George.Miller,Fax 925.674.4983
Re: Pacheco Pioneer Cemetery
I urge you to deny Charlie Clay, or any other private entity, title to Pacheco
Pioneer Cemetery. 1 strongly believe the cemetery belongs to the public, and the County
of Contra Costa Board of Supervisors controls its ownership. For several years now,
private ownership has been a dismal failure.
My late husband's great grandfather, George P. Loucks, owned this laird and
made it available to be used as a public cemetery. To this day our family has a section
known as the"Loucks Field."My husband was James Loucks and his ashes are there,
along with our stone marker with our names engraved on it. One day I hope my ashes
will be interned there as well. Private ownership threatens this dream. Please beep
ownership of Pacheco Pioneer Cemetery public as was originally intended.
Sincerely,
Scotty Loucks
RECEP
? 1
AN 211
2003
CLERK BOARD OF Si PERVISOPS
Sava the Pacheco Cemetery CONTRA COSTA ro.
I Valerie Longmire and we the friends and neighbors of Pacheco Cemetery do here by
request from Centra Costa County to take control of the Pacheco Cemetery and keep it
Public. We feel it is in the best interest of the community to beep the Cemetery a Public
entity in order to reserve its quality of care. The historical value of the Cemetery should
surpass its monetary value. We owe it to our Community and the Familiesof the interred.
to preserve its Historical significance. For about three decades private owners have failed
to maintain the cemetery and it's grounds,that's a long time for it to fall to disrepair. We
wouldn't even be a County if it weren't for some of the people buried there. We are
requesting from the County to"Do the right thing" and claire control of our Cemetery. It
is not just a plot of land to bury dead people; it is a piece of Contra Costa County history.
The people buried in there carne hundreds and even thousands of mules, on horse
back, wagon train, ship and even foot,to make this land(our land)their homes, they were
our ancestors and Country Patriots and deserve a stable place to rest. Our land that they
worked blood Swett and tears for is going to be given to one man to control. I don't think
our Forefathers would have approved.
From my research for the friends of the Pacheco Cemetery, I found;Mr. Clay
could not even make his home mortgage payments and had his home foreclosed on. A
pattern of instability he does poses;let it be a warning sign for the future of the Cemetery.
I used to live across the street from Mr. Jordan and I know personally his and Mr. Clay's
Character's. These are not the kind of people who would be in the best interest of the
Cemetery. They are not responsible adults. If you wish to know more just ask! It was just
by an ironic fluke or fate that I joined this group,not knowing in advance of the
Clay/Jordan ownership. Stranger things have happened. But I would like to believe it was
for a purpose, even if it is just to warn you of the Cemetery's doomed future if private
owners run it. I know in my heart the only way to save the cemetery is for the County to
keep it"Public".
If John Muir were alive today this wouldn't be happening,he was a
conservationist, he would vote to conserve the Cemetery,as should you too. We are not
just the here and now people,we are the past,present and future people of our County
and giving away our past is a violation of our ancestor's rights. I want my great-great
grandchildren to be able to visit their ancestors a hundred years from now and if the
county allows a continued pattern of failed private owners there will be no cemetery left
to have for our future descendants. I don't want them to say in a hundred years from now,
"What were those people thinking when they gave the cemetery away"?
Please]Keep the Pacheco Cemetery Public;you owe it to our future..(Can dead
people be privately owned?) Thank you!
Valerie Longmire
A Living.Descendant
925-370-7054