This intriguing snippet was among the documents the City provided in response to my August 5 public records request. I have redacted the names and contact info for the sender and recipient; both are city employees. The message is in the subject line. The body of the email is blank. The response to this 21 August 2024, if any, was not provided.

“I need to set up a project for Vick Cemetery for a grant for parking lots.”

What in the world does this mean?

In July 2023, Grant Goings stated his interest in digging up the present parking pad from Vick Cemetery (and a sliver of Odd Fellows) and rebuilding it across the street. As I pointed out in a blogpost, beyond the hazard to shallow graves posed by removal, the City doesn’t own land across the street from Vick. Is this a new iteration of his parking lot idea? (Which no one asked for.)

Do you live in Gillettia Morgan‘s district? Do you live in a different district, but are concerned about the ongoing abuse of this sacred space? Ask council what parking lot project is under consideration for Vick Cemetery. Who is proposing it? Will it cover even more graves? Was the descendant community consulted about this or any other Vick Cemetery project? Please raise your questions and concerns at a city council meeting.