Civil War Group Sues Muskego For Improper Maintenance Of Graves

MUSKEGO - The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War filed suit this week against the City of Muskego for improper maintenance of Union soldiers' graves, a move the group feels is disrespectful to the veterans' memory.

At issue is what the group feels is the lack of proper law mowing around the graves of two Union soldiers buried at Luther Park Cemetery. The city argued they were preserving the historic native prairie land. City Forester Tom Zagar said by preserving the vegetation that existed while the soldiers were alive, they are honoring the natural history of the area.

Zagar said they offered a compromise with a group to move the graves but that was not accepted. Group member Bob Koenecke feels the city should move the plants and not the graves.

According to WTMJ-4, the group's attorney Franklyn Gimbel cited state law that requires veteran graves to receive proper maintenance and said the group also took issues with the controlled burns the city performs at the cemetery.

The city must respond to the suit within 20 days.

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