A tearful plea will prevent a portion of Stubblefield Road from being closed to the public.
Darlene Caten told members of the county Highway and Bridge Committee her husband is buried in a cemetery that can only be accessed by Stubblefield Road and asked for the road to remain open to the public.
“As you know, my husband died very suddenly in 2008,” said Caten of her husband, Joseph. “We didn’t know where to bury Joe. He said ‘Just put me out in the field. I don’t need anything fancy.’ He didn’t want to be buried where his mom and dad were. I was in no frame of mind to be able to make some kind of decision.”
Joanna Wade has a similar story.
“I have a son buried in that cemetery,” said Wade, of her son Jonathan. “He was buried there seven years ago with the expectation that we, as family members, will be buried there with him. The reason I don’t want it closed is because I would have no way to get in. And once there is no one keeping the road up, I can’t get in to visit the site of my son’s grave or care for it.”
After hearing the comments, county Highway and Bridge Committee members unanimously rejected a request to close a portion of Stubblefield Road to public use.
Consideration for closing the road began in October when property owners Jason and Angela Wells, who own property along both sides of the road in that area, expressed a desire to close the dead-end road.
“I, personally, think the road should be left open,” said Commissioner Gary Prater, chair of the committee. “Knowing what I know in situations that have happened in the past, my personal opinion is it should remain open.”
Prater has expressed concern about past issues when a road was closed from a property owner’s request and then, years later, the property owner wants it reopened.
Jason Wells was in attendance at the meeting.
“I understand the concerns,” said Wells. “It was never my intent to prevent people from accessing the cemetery. I’m just trying to keep people from going up there and parking at night and throwing out beer cans."
On the committee with Prater are Commissioners Randy England, David Rhea, Blaine Wilcher and Melissa Yancy.
The public hearing was held Thursday at 4 p.m. at Warren County Highway Department.