Hearing may provide answers about bankrupt mausoleum
<p align="justify">Carol Klicker, like many who have loved ones entombed at American Mausoleum wants to know one thing: Can she still see her son?
<p align="justify">"It just tears me apart,. I can hardly stand it," she said Thursday. The emotion and the stress of the past few days finally got to her and she broke down crying.
<p align="justify">Her son, Kevin Henderson, died in February 1996, after being in a car accident. He had been entombed at Springdale Cemetery but was later moved to American Mausoleum. When she read about the facility filing for bankruptcy, she was distraught.
<p align="justify">"I don't know if I can be with him. I don't know if I can go see him. I just don't know," the Peoria woman said.
<p align="justify">Unfortunately, right now, answers are few when it comes to what will happen with American. The facility's parent company, Wilton Services LLC, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Monday.
<p align="justify">There is a hearing set Tuesday morning before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas Perkins where answers to who will operate the mausoleum might be answered.
<p align="justify">On Wednesday, Gary Rafool, the company's attorney, said American was out of business and indeed, employees have told people they couldn't have internment ceremonies until the case moves along.
<p align="justify">Carol Knowles, a spokeswoman for Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, said Hynes' office can't take over the facility as was done a few years ago with Springdale as the situations are different.
<p align="justify">In the Springdale matter, bankruptcy wasn't an issue. Rather, the Comptroller's office revoked the licenses of then-owner Larry Leach, who had let the historic cemetery fall into disrepair.
<p align="justify">"The ex-licensee faced criminal charges and as part of the plea agreement turned over the real estate and operations of the cemetery. The Circuit Court expanded the court-appointed receiver's powers in that case to operate the cemetery," Knowles said.
<p align="justify">In this case, however, the matter is before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and there is no provision to allow for the "state takeover of the cemetery/mausoleum."
<p align="justify">Rather, what Hynes' office is doing is making sure the money that was to be placed into trust funds for pre-need accounts and for perpetual care contracts is accounted for. As of the last audit in May, the money was all there. Still, an auditor was sent to Peoria to look over the books once again.
<p align="justify">Andy Kravetz can be reached at (309) 686-3283 or akravetz@pjstar.com.