In New Orleans, cemeteries are part of the fabric of neighborhoods. Which is why those living in the Carrollton area don't consider the city a very good neighbor. Mark Vail says, "It is very depressing. You see out and it looks like a wilderness." Mark Vail's home overlooks the St Mary cemetery -- one of six owned by the city of New Orleans. Vail explains, "All we are asking for is basic grass cutting three or three or four a year, basic trash collection, basic grave maintenance. We are not asking for much." He walked us thru St Mary's showing us what he considers disrespectful to the dead. He points out, "Just about every grave is so overgrown that you can't even see where one ends and the other begins." 103621
While neighbors say the problem at St Mary's is over grown grass, at Carollton, it is grass sprayed with herbicide and left to die. Not to mention the bones. Mark Vail walks along and points out, "There is an obvious human vertebrae and an obvious piece of a skull And part of what looks to be a thigh bone." Debra Howell ads, "There has been a bone problem around the cemetery for many years." But Howell says before Katrina, the city did a better job. She says, "Before the storm, there was a staff of grounds keepers. I think only two or three maximum, very nice people. They went around with their weed eaters."
Dr Barry Kohl spoke with the cemetery superintendent when she worked in a storm damaged building on the property and also wrote letters to city hall. he says, "It took six months to get a response and the response was that a contract had been let to repair the building and that the grass would be taken care of." Three months later, the weeds are still so pervasive it makes paying respects difficult. Josie Davis explains, "I understand that due to Katrina it could be hard, but this is almost unbelievable. You can't find who you are looking for." When asked if she could find her loved one's grave she responded, "No, I am still looking." She thinks the city needs to better care for its 'cities of the dead'.
Fox 8 News is awaiting an interview with the person in charge of cemeteries. In the meantime, a spokesperson for the city tells us that it considers many of the graves private and only contracted to maintain them as a courtesy post-Katrina. The city will re-bid that contract in January, but expects to have difficulty covering the cost. Fox 8 will follow-up.
