Mountain View Cemetery in Centralia has fallen into disrepair and after receiving the property, Lewis County is in search of a steward of the land.
The previous owner of the cemetery was five years delinquent on $53,481 in property taxes, so the county treasurer placed the cemetery up for auction on Jan. 26. There were no bidders.
Lewis County Treasurer Arny Davis has suggested that the city create a special taxing district to fund the ongoing maintenance of the cemetery.
“We’ve reached out to the city of Centralia to start the conversation on what needs to happen with that property,” Lewis County Manager Erik Martin said. “We want to make sure that the cemetery is taken care of in the right way.”
The county wants to assure that the family and friends of loved ones buried at the cemetery can have access to the property and the burial plots will be maintained.
“It’s important to the county that these (cemetery) sites are maintained,” Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope said.
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