On behalf of the City of Auburn, we would like to express our deepest apologies to visitors of Mountain View Cemetery who were unable to access to the facility during the morning hours of Veterans Day.

At approximately 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, City staff was notified that the gates to the cemetery had not been opened to the public. The City of Auburn contracts with an outside security firm to lock and unlock the gates of Mountain View Cemetery on holidays and weekends. However, due to a miscommunication, the facility remained locked Friday morning.

After we were made aware of the error, the City immediately contacted the firm and dispatched personnel to unlock the gates. The facility was opened at approximately 12 p.m.

“The City of Auburn offers our humble apologies and sympathies to those families that were not able to pay their respects to loved ones on Friday morning. Veterans Day is a sacred time to reflect and honor those who have served, and in particular, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We will take immediate action to ensure we have safeguards against this type of error in the future,” said Mayor Nancy Backus.

– City of Auburn