\u200bCross and Anvil<\/a> took control of Lincoln Cemetery in 2023. Williams, a pastor at Greater Mount Zion<\/a> AME Church, can no longer afford to continue maintaining and rebuilding the storm-damaged burial grounds, which opened in 1926 at 600 58th St. S.<\/p>\n \u200bIn an Oct. 7 memo to the council, Mayor Ken Welch noted that he supports annexing the cemetery and has discussed the issue with his current and former colleagues in Gulfport. He pledged that St. Petersburg would work with Cross and Anvil and other stakeholders to \u201cmaintain the facility with the dignity it deserves<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cNot one person from the council picked up the phone and has called me or reached out in any form or fashion,\u201d Love said Tuesday. \u201cNobody from St. Petersburg has asked me to attend a meeting. Pastor Williams has not called me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bGulfport must initiate the de-annexation process. Cross and Anvil could also petition the city.<\/p>\n \u200bWhen asked Dec. 4 if he would support annexation, Williams paused and said he felt \u201cwounded.\u201d He explained that his immediate concern is finding the money to survey and restore burial plots, construct a security fence, remove hazardous trees and complete routine maintenance.<\/p>\n \u200bSt. Petersburg cannot fund projects outside of the city, and Williams eventually offered his support for starting a lengthy annexation process. Love said Tuesday that Williams previously pledged to ask for help when needed, and she awaits the call.<\/p>\n \u200bLove considers it \u201csilly\u201d to discuss annexing Lincoln Cemetery with St. Petersburg officials before consulting with Williams. While she \u201cheard what he said\u201d at the committee meeting, \u201che was under no pressure when he was talking to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cI felt like he was on trial watching it,\u201d Love said of Williams. \u201cIt\u2019s their (St. Petersburg) own in-house fighting that is preventing anything from moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n A map illustrating the boundary between St. Petersburg and Gulfport. Screengrab.<\/p>\n \u200bShe subsequently noted that Welch reached out in June to gauge her support for annexing the cemetery. Love requested related documents, which Welch provided a few weeks later.<\/p>\n \u200bAccording to Love, the annexation documents stated, \u201cNo give-backs allowed.\u201d She added that \u201cnow they want us to.\u201d She believes it is \u201cnot in our best interest to hold that property back from these people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bGulfport will determine associated costs and \u201cwho\u2019s going to pay it\u201d once Williams petitions the city, Love said. \u201cI do think that morally, it\u2019s the right thing to do for the descendants, and it\u2019s unfortunate \u2026 how it all ended up with us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bO\u2019Reilly said the cemetery\u2019s plight is \u201cobviously a political issue\u201d in St. Petersburg. He believes some officials \u201cwant no part of this topic because it\u2019s not politically beneficial.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-1341-e1765376501327-1024x639.png\")
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