This document has been created for individuals seeking guidance on handling a local political situation to preserve a historic cemetery. It does not provide legal advice, and CLM encourages seeking counsel. Local or state preservation societies or commissions can serve as valuable resources.

Wisdom by Texas State Representative Harryette Ehrhardt, retired. 2/2025

Thank you for writing to us most impressively.  Your presentation was so complete and compelling!  Your cemetery is very fortunate to have you pressing forward!!!

Julie has asked me to respond from my perspective—as a politician who strongly supports your issue and wants to provide you with a personal response. This isn't a complete recommendation but rather a viewpoint based on my experience—a slice of the pie, if you will.

Here are some suggestions—while you likely have already done many of these, these are some of the things we tried and found to work.

First, meet with each elected official in Tarrant County and relevant decision-makers, such as the Park Board, planning commissioners, and associated committees—some ad hoc, others permanent. This will require time and should be coordinated with your other tasks. Before your visit, thoroughly review their websites. If a volunteer is available, find out who supported these officials during their campaigns; that information is public. Check if you recognize any of those contributors, understand the functions of their offices, and review their recent communications, especially any media coverage. Become fully comfortable with each person before your meeting! Your goal, if you seek their support, is to ensure that everyone you speak with feels valued and appreciated for the great work they are doing. You are simply asking them to do one more good thing. (This may be challenging if you view them as ineffective or incompetent—just push through it!)

Bring the information you want to present in writing. The first page should be concise and have plenty of white space. You might use bullet points for key facts or your main message. Make it easy to read by including pictures and larger print. You can follow this with a detailed description and any relevant history or dates, similar to what you shared with us. With our computer technology, you can edit all materials for the elected official you are visiting.

Start with the County Commissioners. They should be more attuned to the land than any other elected group—responsible for roads and bridges, and they might

 even offer classes for Master Gardeners or similar organizations. Keep this in mind before your visit. When you meet with them or any other elected officials, start by thanking them for something they have done—ideally related to the cemetery in some way—perhaps for the AA community or for supporting the National Juneteenth Museum or Opal Lee—something positive to mention about an action they took. If possible, bring someone who supported them in their last election—perhaps someone who resembles them. (I hope you don’t find that statement offensive, but sometimes we all need to feel comfortable during a visit—especially if we’re asking for something—and some of us require the comfort of not feeling ambushed by outsiders. You will know who needs this and who doesn’t.) It’s important to engage with those you disagree with politically, as their support will be essential. You can agree to disagree on many issues while recognizing the shared importance of saving this cemetery, even if you don’t share an enthusiasm for ball games. Before you go, try to understand their perspective and see

Setting up appointments and collecting data on who you visit takes a lot of Time. Delegate this to a good supporter.

When you arrive, plan to wait—don’t have a pressing appointment. We politicians often have unexpected matters arise that can disrupt our schedules (And then some of us can be quite thoughtless).

Prepare what you want to say—this sounds like, “Duh! Of course, I do that.” I mean, really have it prepared. Often, it’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror or record yourself and listen to it. Try it out on a friend who will be honest with their criticism. Too often, we have it so strong in our heads and hearts that it is way too verbose when telling our story. Don’t make it complicated. Use simple words—this is not the time to impress the listener with how many big words you know. Please keep it simple and short.

Now, of course, there are many other things you need to do—gather community support, raise money for incidentals, and these may be considerable—compile your data—set up press information—find people to write letters to the editor—collect information on similar situations and share insights with them. Discover how similar groups addressing your issue have managed, funded, and recruited volunteers. Involve organizations that share your goals—Boy Scouts, master naturalists, master gardeners, pioneer cemeteries, Texas A&M, state government offices—those interested in cemeteries and history, preservation, the environment, butterflies, and birds. Look for state and national organizations that might assist. Engage some high school students or a college class to take this on as a project, perhaps a review of community colleges like Tarrant County College, U.T. at Arlington, or TCU. You may be surprised at what will gain traction. Also, scour media for anything helpful, such as us. Apply for grants—as there are several relevant—and invite folks to meet for supper and get involved. Build your volunteer team! Delegate!

GOOD LUCK. YOU ARE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT! KEEP IT UP!