Killeen Council discusses potentially taking over operations of state veterans cemetery

Killeen Daily Herald
By Kevin Limiti | Herald
December 17, 2023

The Killeen City Council last week discussed the potential of Killeen taking over operations of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

This appears to have been initiated by the General Land Office and the Veterans Land Board.

City Manager Kent Cagle said the interlocal agreement would allow the city of Killeen to absorb the ownership of the veterans cemetery, including its employees.

“The General Land Office will pay all direct and indirect costs,” Cagle said. “We think we have a budget that’s fair that will allow us to maintain the cemetery in the standards that’s expected without cost to the city.”

He said there are four state cemeteries in Texas, soon to be five.

“We would take over all operations in February,” he said. “If this is approved, it won’t be long.”

Cagle told the Herald via email that the reason Killeen is taking over the operations of the cemetery is because other cities in Texas do the same thing.

“The City of Mission operates the state cemetery in their city. The cities of Abilene and Lubbock will operate the state cemeteries in their cities. Nueces County operates the state cemetery in Corpus Christie,” he said. “I don’t know that there is a benefit to the city in operating the cemetery other than honoring our continued support of the military and veterans as well as improving our relationship with state officials.”

He said the cemetery will continue to operate in the exact same manner that it did before the potential Killeen takeover.

According to the cemetery’s website, the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery opened Jan. 4, 2006. It is the first of four cemeteries built and run by the Texas Veterans Land Board, under the Texas General Land Office.

The cemetery’s 174 acres was previously part of Fort Cavazos, at the time known as Fort Hood, that was donated to the federal government with up to 50,000 burial plots.

About 15,000 veterans and family members are interred there.

John Kelly, director of the Texas State Veterans program, spoke at the meeting and explained in detail how it would work.

“I maintain a state employee called an OSR or on-site representative,” he said, explaining that OSR’s function is to maintain the standards.

Doug Galt, who also spoke, said he is the OSR of the Killeen cemetery.

“We just did our NCA (National Cemeteries Administration) award,” he said. “NCA comes down and it checks everything including maintenance and gas.”

He said they won an operational excellence award.

“I think it’s going to be a good thing for the young guys who are down there, who have no retirement, no 401K,” he said about the workers at the cemetery if Killeen takes over.

Councilman Michael Boyd said he doesn’t have any reservations about Killeen assuming responsibilities for the cemetery.

He asked what the process would be in terms of training.

Cagle said they would go through the process of onboarding, one every month. “We’ll do one specifically for them,” he said, explaining all the rules and regulations.

“They’ve got to make choices on health insurance, dental insurance and all the benefits we offer,” he said, which is why they are not doing it till February.

He said Killeen is assuming the role of a contractor.

Boyd asked how they will communicate the new role of the city. Cagle responded that it will be part of the Parks and Recreation Department. They will work on the idea of marketing, but emphasized there are strict standards it had to follow.

Cagle said the city would take over the equipment, and the state would take over the cost if

Mayor Debbie Nash-King said the city of Killeen was chosen to take care of the grounds. “That’s an honor to have that opportunity,” she said. “We thank you for choosing us.”