11/25/2009 10:48:00 AM County board will explore possibility of state veterans cemetery located at Preston
This group talked with the Fillmore County Commissioners on Nov. 24, exploring the possibility of creating a state veteran's cemetery at Preston. From left, they are Steve O'Connor of the Spring Valley V.F.W., Kathy Schwartz, state V.A. director of V.A. veterans benefits, District 31 Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes, state V.A. Deputy Commissioner Michael Pugliese and David Swantek, who runs the state veterans cemetery in Little Falls. The map on the desk shows the area under consideration.
By Lisa Brainard
Members of the Fillmore County Board of Commissioners, during their meeting held Nov. 24, started exploring the idea of donating county-owned land at Preston for a new state veteran's cemetery.
They discovered, first of all, the land needs to meet established requirements of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. They include providing from 60 to 100 acres, which would need 40 acres for burials; having frontage on a major highway for access; and the availability of area honor guards for burial services.
If the land met the requirements and was donated by Fillmore County, it might well move the creation of a state veteran's cemetery in southeastern Minnesota to the top of the project list.
Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs were on hand to discuss requirements of such a cemetery: Deputy Commissioner Michael Pugliese, David Swantek, who runs the current state veterans cemetery in Little Falls, and Kathy Schwartz, director of veterans benefits. Also present were District 31 Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes, who had approached the commissioners with the idea, and Steve O'Connor, commander of the Spring Valley V.F.W., who said he's in favor of it.
Erickson Ropes stated, "I think this is an excellent project. It could provide a benefit to the region, to the veteran's community, jobs and have a positive economic benefit. But I'd like to stress we are still in the fact-finding stage in this project. We are just exploring. There is no commitment yet."
Sites
In opening the conversation, Pugliese stated the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is looking at placing new veterans cemeteries in "hot spots," areas where there are a lot of veterans, but no state or national cemetery close by. He explained, "The only thing we need is land to start the process. The federal VA pays for everything other than the land." That includes the design.
The state would then staff the veterans cemetery with a staff of three or four people.
Two other sites are additionally under consideration at this time, the St. Louis County/Duluth area, as well as Redwood County. In the latter case, no public land has been identified, so the legislature would need to authorize funds to buy the property and, Pugliese said, "A private land transfer is very involved."
Swantek said he was asked to identify the need for veterans cemeteries. He ran through the process he used, avoiding the national cemetery at Fort Snelling and the state cemetery at Little Falls. Areas not touched by a 75-mile radius were defined as "underserved." He noted, "They (the VA) want burial options available for 90 percent of American veterans within 90 miles of their homes."
When the distance becomes greater than 50 miles, Swantek said the veterans would choose a more local option for burial.
The agencies want to find geographic locations that "fill in the gaps." In southern Minnesota he found six counties that fit the definition: Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower and Winona. That area, Swantek, should have just over 14,000 living veterans.
In doing his study, Swantek said he "kind of landed on Stewartville" (used as a central point for statistics). He found nearly 29,000 vets reside within 50 miles and noted Rochester and Olmsted County had a lot to do with that.
Using a federal guideline, Swantek went out a 75-mile radius from Stewartville, which included some Iowa counties and two in Wisconsin - the number of veterans would go up to 38,000.
"That's good news. We won't look at what we can serve just in the state, but in the 75-mile ring (taking out Fort Snelling). It's a good opportunity in this area. A significant population is underserved," said Swantek.
Benefits
Fillmore County Chair Chuck Amunrud then asked the visiting group to talk about the benefit such a cemetery offers a veteran. Swantek said at Little Falls, it includes a burial, a headstone from the federal agency and perpetual care.
"It's a concern to a lot of people. This is something the state will always maintain. We provide it at no cost to veterans," he stated. He did note a difference between state and federal veterans cemeteries: at the state level, a fee is charged for the burial of a dependent, which is typically a spouse.
"It's a very significant benefit for veterans," Swantek noted. In applying for a monthly plot allowance, many times he will need to verify a vet, because the burial was the only benefit the vet ever received.
Pugliese stated, "The Little Falls Cemetery is gorgeous. That's what we intend... worthy to be a resting place of our heroes."
Amunrud then asked about potential local benefits to the community.
Swantek said there was a "definite benefit to the community" and the area around it. At Little Falls there are over 300 burials conducted a year, which of course brings people to the community. They likely fill up their car with gas, or get a bite to eat, or perhaps floral arrangements, he stated.
A local color or honor guard also would need to be available. Swantek said an all-volunteer honor guard has been set up other places, where different local units take turns to cover all days each and every month.
"We will take that model to any future facilities we have. One thing people will remember is the playing of Taps and the firing of the volleys. It's a profound honor," he stated.
Ropes and county board members said this would need to be further discussed with local veterans groups to see if they would be willing to look into the volunteer honor guard. Otherwise, Ropes said she had talked to the groups and heard no objections to the idea of the cemetery.
More considerations
Pugliese said the cemetery is a park-like setting and also can play host to other programs and events. There was some discussion on whether the property would work - and if the road into it might need to be redone. While the site would have frontage on Highway 52, more property would likely need to be found. When it was noted that land is owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the VA officials responded positively and said, "We are the state," indicating it could make property acquisition easier.
Preston Mayor Kurt Reicks was in the audience and stated the city's support of such a project.
The board decided by consensus to begin the process of having the land in question inspected. Officials were planning to take a tour of the property when the meeting ended. Then there would be a long process of considering other needs and anything that might derail the process.
Commissioner Marc Prestby expressed an interest in selling the county's property to the group for the cemetery, rather than donating it.
