“The Greenleaf Cemetery Association Board & Staff believe a Cemetery Consultant, after seeing the “lay of the land” at Greenleaf, will confirm what we have been saying for years. We also believe City leaders are doing their due diligence by hiring a consultant before increasing their GCA requested annual investments (subsidy, equipment, infrastructure, operations, etc.). The long- building current difficulties, now brought to daylight and being discussed, are a golden opportunity for us all to help put Brownwood’s Historic Greenleaf Cemetery on a solid footing for many years to come.” SH
For many years, Brownwood’s Historic Greenleaf Cemetery has needed a new Office/Gathering/Event Center. Thanks to the hard work of the current Greenleaf Cemetery Association Board and Staff (in place since 2018), City of Brownwood leaders (past and present), and The Home Depot Foundation and Volunteers, Greenleaf’s soon-to-open facility is becoming a reality. The old house, now a lovingly improved office, will have a much-needed ADA porch deck with a ramp and handrails. The new office will also feature bathroom facilities connected to city services and an Honor Guard Changing Room, named in memory of local veteran Spud Butler, and so many more worthy veterans, who have given their all and are now laid to rest at Greenleaf. For years, Military Honor Guards visiting Greenleaf were forced to dress in a less-than-worthy office space that often included an inoperable septic system bathroom. That day is no more thanks to so many.
Draco Miller Jr., Brownwood City Council Member for Greenleaf, says “I would like to first and foremost thank [The] Home Depot [Foundation] for their generous donation of all the materials needed to build a front and back porch for the new Greenleaf Cemetery office and gathering center. We would also like to thank all the Home Depot staff members who came out and provided community service hours to build the project. This project will further enhance our residents’ and visitors’ experience in historic Greenleaf Cemetery.”
Steve Harris, Greenleaf Cemetery Association President since 2018, thanks The Home Depot Foundation and The Home Depot’s volunteer team, Team Depot, for their generous investment and work on this latest “I Believe In Greenleaf” project. We would also like to thank City of Brownwood leaders (past and present) for the generous donation of the house and utility services provided. “Without this ‘it takes a village’ approach, this long-needed, donation-driven improvement project likely would have never been possible,” stated Harris.
When asked what this community project means to him, David Schiff, Brownwood Home Depot Store Manager said, “The Brownwood Home Depot was honored to be a part of the Greenleaf Cemetery project. One of Home Depot’s core values is “Giving Back,” and there is no better feeling than doing something to support our veterans and community. I would personally like to thank The Home Depot Foundation for helping financially for this project to the Brownwood and surrounding communities, and my staff for helping volunteer their services.”
In summation, this latest Greenleaf Cemetery improvement project was a long time coming and will help welcome guests in a worthy manner for many years to come thanks to The Home Depot Foundation. The Foundation has pledged to invest $750 million in veteran causes by 2030 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program by 2028.
A huge shout out to GCA’s Shane Agan, Ralph Cadena and Ray Curtis for the exceptional work in these extremely difficult times where GCA operating funds are short and the equipment is worn out! Keeping the grounds (where over 20,000 are laid to rest) maintained is a huge task in the best of times.
Highest regards, Steve Harris and the entire Greenleaf Cemetery Association Board
“The current GCA board has been telling them that this day has been coming for years,” Harris said regarding Mayor Haynes statement. “This is not coming out of left field this is not something new.”
Harris referenced a quote from Mayor Haynes in the June, 27, 2023 board meeting minutes, where Haynes said “I genuinely believe y’all have done a great job with a bad situation…Greenleaf has been around for a hundred years and it has never been a council priority.”
“I am glad that this is now a priority for the city council, it is very unfortunate that it has taken this type of crisis and public outcry to make it a priority of the city of Brownwood,” Harris said.
They have said that financial concerns may force the day to day operations of the cemetery to be curtailed.
“The Greenleaf Cemetery Association board and staff want to thank community members for their support, words of encouragement and public comments showing how much Greenleaf Cemetery means to this community,” Harris said. “We believe we all want a better Greenleaf.”
The GCA continues to this day to invest 1/3 of every plot sale into a perpetual care fund.
“MATTIE COGGIN (Modie J. and Samuel R.) Mattie Coggln bequeathed $5,000 to the Greenleaf Cemetery in 1915. This was the beginning of the perpetual care fund.”
The Brownwood City Council is set to discuss the fate of Brownwood’s Historic Greenleaf Cemetery during a closed executive session at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Greenleaf Cemetery Association Board President Steve Harris sent a formal budget request in May of 2023 for this fiscal year for $243,000 and requested to be on the agenda with an Emergency request for funding during Tuesday’s meeting.
The GCA has acknowledged being in ongoing dire financial straights due to the Fulton-Mercer Heritage Davis-Morris Chapel bankruptcy, the bankruptcy of Banker’s Life Insurance company which holds a substantial perpetual care annuity, huge drop off in plot sales and burials, and lack of over $20,000 in court ordered (2018) restitution by Tisha Pruett, former Officer Manager of the cemetery office.
While the City of Brownwood has provided some in kind services, moved a house to the cemetery to be used as an office and helped with some equipment costs, dead tree removal, new street signs, etc. they only budget $11,000 annually to the cemetery for operations as was the case for 2023-24 fiscal year.
The GCA, has again requested an annual budget more in line with the city charter, or to roll the cemetery into the city’s parks department for maintenance and operation.
Harris has said that the clock is ticking for Greenleaf Cemetery Association, with the GCA saying, due to the ongoing budget crisis, they are prepared to hand over the day-to-day operations of the cemetery to the City unless adequate funding w/annual oversight & auditing is provided.
Any action deemed necessary as a result of executive session, will be taken in open session following executive session.
In order to prevent this, the Greenleaf Cemetery Association (a 501(c)(13) non-profit) continuously advocates for increased investment from the City of Brownwood, Donations, Grants, Fundraisers, etc. If the Cemetery is important to you, please help us by contacting City of Brownwood leaders. Thank you, Steve Harris (GCA President 2017 to present)
These are the Banners likely going up at Greenleaf on the 12th of April! The GCA Board has been working tirelessly since late 2017 to prevent this day, but …………………
News/Talk 102.3 KXYL
March 18, 2024
Greenleaf Cemetery Association in dire need of financial support
Greenleaf Cemetery, established in 1858 in Brownwood and home to more than 18,000 souls, continues to be in dire straights financially, due to a multitude of issues.
Steve Harris, president of the non-profit Greenleaf Cemetery Association, detailed the past and present financial hits that have plagued the 55-acre cemetery located off of US Highway 377.
Harris joined GCA in 2017 at a time when office worker Tisha Pruett had been convicted of stealing about $23,000 from the cemetery and ordered to pay restitution. So far, she has not paid back all of the restitution and now two other issues have surfaced.
“Since 2017 we’ve been in slow climb out of a financial hole that we did not create,” Harris said in an interview on Newstalk. “It is there and we had to face it and we had a face a lot of issues. There was a case of a former office worker who had stolen some funds and ordered to pay restitution and she has not lived up to that. In fact, she still owes about $18,000. Unfortunately we are also faced with two bankruptcies that are in the federal court system right now.”
That includes the bankruptcy of Banker’s Life insurance company that holds the cemetery’s annuity and the Fulton-Mercer bankruptcy (AKA Heritage Davis-Morris Funeral Home ). Heritage Davis-Morris currently owes Greenleaf $4,600 for burials.
The GCA Board voted on Jan. 30, that because of the bankruptcy affecting Heritage Davis Morris Funeral Home, clients will be required to pay Greenleaf directly for burials because they will no longer be billing the funeral home.
“These two corporate bankruptcies and the lack of restitution are putting us in a bind,” Harris continued. “On top of that burials and plot sales are down from last year, 27 percent – about $28,000. Traditional burials are down nationwide.”
The City of Brownwood which owns the cemetery, budgets the GCA $11,000 for operating costs annually. Harris said a bare bones budget would be around $140,000, and that barely pays for the upkeep and one employee. The GCA requested that amount in May of 2023 in the form of a formal itemized request.
Harris said the board is grateful for the support the city HAS given them, which includes the new office and Gathering center and the purchase of a Gator as well as in-kind services.
The GCA is requesting that the City of Brownwood put the cemetery into the city’s parks department, due to the financial difficulties and costs for maintenance and operation.
“Greenleaf Cemetery deserves more than a shoestring budget and we as a community have to work together to honor, respect and advocate for all of those who came before us,” Harris said.
Meanwhile, donations are needed and very welcome. Mail in donations at Greenleaf Cemetery, P.O. 455, Brownwood, TX 76804-0455.
