The Winona City Board room was packed with residents for Tuesday evening's Board of Aldermen meeting. Before the scheduled guest presentations began, Mayor Aaron Dees addressed the audience with an opening statement.
“I would like to make a comment before we get started. Recently, in the past, we’ve had a lot of people around the room speaking out and talking,” Mayor Dees began. “If you’re not on the agenda to speak, you’re not going to speak. We need you to be on the agenda in order to speak. Each special guest tonight, you have five minutes. I’m going to let you spend your whole five minutes, and then we’ll address your concerns.”
Madison Vaughan, who has been leading efforts to restore Oakwood Cemetery, was first on the agenda. She presented a progress report on her work and proposed organizing a community cleanup day in October.
As she approached the podium, Mayor Dees expressed to the Board his appreciation for her hard work, which was followed by applause around the room.
“I would like to ask for y’all’s approval for a community clean up day. I’ve been working very hard at Oakwood, but it’s a lot for one person to take on,” Vaughan said. “I’m trying to get October the 26th for a clean up day. I’ve had a lot of people want to volunteer.”
Vaughan expressed her concerns about the cemetery's safety, citing overhanging branches, overgrown trees, and dense bushes. She emphasized that this overgrowth not only poses risks but also hinders visitors' access to grave sites.
“It’s my hope with this clean up, that it will provide easier maintenance. Maybe we can make this an annual thing,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan reported on her research into funding options, including contacting the Historic Society about potential grants for restoring old sites. While no grants are currently available, she was advised to have the city inquire again in March 2025. Additionally, Vaughan noted that she has identified over 40 damaged sites in the cemetery. She concluded by proposing the formation of a Cemetery Committee and asked for the Board's interest in this initiative.
“I think it would be important for somebody to set some rules and regulations on the cemetery to help keep it cleaner, maybe help with these annual cleanings,” Vaughan concluded.
Following Vaughan's presentation, the Board deliberated. Ward 4 Alderman Charles Harris motioned to appoint Madison Vaughan as head of the newly formed Cemetery Committee and designate October 26 as a community cleanup day. Ward 3 Alderman Archie Flowers seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
