Opposition Doesn't Halt Williamstown Halloween Event
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"It's a quiet piece of hallowed ground and should remain that way," she told the Selectmen on Monday night.
Bratcher was joined by a half-dozen or so others concerned that a Halloween-themed event planned at the cemetery is disrespectful, inappropriate and unsafe.
"I don't think that is the place to have a Halloween event," said Joan Cummings. "It is an horrendous event, it's really, really bad."
Despite their pleas, the weekend event will go on, said the Selectmen, who promised in the future to be more careful about the decisions regarding the town's cemetery and the Sherman Burbank Chapel.
"The fact that it is being held there, for me, personally, this is just distasteful, completely tasteless," said Selectman Richard Steege, who added he had attended funerals at Eastlawn.
The collaborative effort of a number of town and area groups for a fun evening of town history and hauntings set off a furor last month. Online comments and letters to the editor have ranged from denouncements on one hand to urgings to "chill out" on the other. The "Haunted Eastlawn Cemetery" will include guided tours of the oldest section of Eastlawn, a jester, a magician, videos, live performances, arts and crafts and refreshments on Friday and Saturday.
"If this is done this year, what's going to happen in future years?" asked Barbara White. "Is it going to snowball and become a big event?
Former Selectman Ken Swiatek urged the board, acting as the Cemetery Commission, to disapprove the event and force it to move to the elementary school.
He said the Selectmen had prohibited group activities in the 1990s after a resident complained about the Williams College cross country ski team practicing at Eastlawn. Swiatek also pointed out the cemetery closes at sundown and that Sherman Burbank Chapel's terms of use was limited to religious services when it was donated to the town.
"There is no reason on earth it has to be in the cemetery," said Swiatek. The elementary school had the room, the staging and the facilities to handle the event, plus it would be safer, he said, and dryer in case of rain.
Several speakers wondered about the wisdom of having children crossing a main highway or being in a cemetery at night, and the possible damage to headstones.
Selectman Thomas Costley explained some of the restrictions and safety issues that the organizers had presented to the board at the last meeting — a number of with which the Selectmen had been concerned. Those questions had been answered, he said. "I expect a spectacularly well-run evening."
But he did agree with opponents that the venue was not the right one and said their letters and comments were not wasted. "I'm committed to letting this go forward ... and then I plan to speak out early and often on any future use of our cemeteries."
His wasn't the first mea culpa; each of the selectman admitted to making an error in judgment that they hadn't really foreseen.
"We could have said to the group absolutely not. But we didn't say that," said Chairwoman Jane Allen.
The board's concern about the use of the cemetery had been alleviated, somewhat, by the partnership planing or participating in it: Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, House of Local History, Milne Public Library, Wild Oats, Main Street Stage, among others. Allen described them as "well-respected members of our community. There was never any intent on their part to be disrespectful or to desecrete in any way."
But, she noted, community standards are set by what each community will bear. And even if the group had examples of other towns using their cemeteries for similar events, it was clear that this was not something Williamstown would bear.
Selectman David Rempell said he would "certainly look at it in a very different light" if it was proposed today.
But he was struck by the all the planning that had gone into it and found its focus on history an "attractive element."
"All I can say to you is that it will certainly never happen again."
Selectman Ronald Turbin reminded the audience that many people had worked very hard to plan the Halloween event and should at least be acknowledged for that, even if the location was not suitable to some.
Some of the Selectmen plan to attend the event to ensure it's being run properly. But with it set to happen only days away, they declined to force it to move.
Still, said Costley, "We make this decision knowing it will disappoint you." `
Bratcher and her sister-in-law, Joyce Walsh, who also has family buried in Eastlawn, were definitely disappointed at the outcome. They had hoped that the event would be moved to the school but glad they made their feelings known.
"If I think something is wrong and I can change it, I contact everyone," said Bratcher.
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