Fillmore County Cemetery plausible

The Department of Veterans Affairs appears to have narrowed the location for a new State Veterans Cemetery in the southeastern area of the state.

Last year, the department was directed to find suitable locations for three new state cemeteries: one in the northeast, another in the southwest and a third in the southeast region of the state.

Two preferred locations for the southeastern cemetery have been identified in Preston and Spring Valley, and the local government agencies have agreed to donate the land if selected for a new cemetery, according to Rep. Greg Davids (R-Preston), who sponsors HF226.

Previous bonding language limited the search for cemetery locations to just the other two locations of the state. Davids’ bill would allow the commissioner of veterans affairs to look at Fillmore County, in addition to locations in the northeast and southwest regions of the state.

Approved by the House Veterans Services Division Feb. 14, the bill next goes to the House Capital Investment Committee. Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) sponsors a companion bill, SF327 which awaits action by the Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans Committee.