Pembroke, NY (WBEN) Five years after land was bought for the Western New York National Veterans Cemetery, it is set to open one year from now.
William Joyce, director of veterans services for Genesee County says delays have come in part because of the bidding process. "The bids came in too high, then they had to resubmit the bids. They were recently approved to a contractor out of Seneca County," says Joyce.
One other concern was for the honor guard. "Eventually, there will be a structure for the honor guard to rest and change. The funding is just not there, and they'll made do with they have," says Joyce.
For families who want to bury their loved one for a national cemetery burial, Joyce says there are no reserved spots, but the process is simple. "There's an application they can fill out so when they need the funeral service, they give this to the funeral director showing they're already authorized for cemetery burial there," explains Joyce.
Crews are already moving earth to get the cemetery ready in Pembroke.
