FAQs about LCTC
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LCTC's basic premise: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is a cemetery
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1) How is LCTC different from other organizations already in existence?
A) LCTC is an association of plot owners and direct family members of the deceased buried in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. Its mission is to advocate for the preservation of the cemetery's sole purpose as a sacred resting place, for the protection of its deceased and their graves and for educating others on historically accurate information about it and those buried there. (Our purpose and mission statement are explained more fully on the ABOUT US page of this website.)

​All board members and owner associates have immediate family buried within the cemetery – some for generations in multiple tombs and copings – and direct succession burial rights in our family plots.  Because of this connection and ownership, we have a singular focus to protect and preserve the cemetery for its stated purpose as a sacred resting place for the deceased and a place of peace and safety for its families and guests.
 
LCTC is incorporated as a nonprofit in the state of Louisiana and is designated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a strictly volunteer organization with a comprehensive conflicts-of-interest policy. Those on the board and its advisory council receive no compensation whatsoever and have donated considerable amounts of their own time and personal finances in every aspect of this association’s formation, filings and projects, including our extensive initiative with the City of New Orleans advocating on behalf of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
 
There are no overhead expenses, no employees, no salaries and, as stated above, no compensation of any kind. In order to avoid impropriety and any conflict of interest, LCTC does not, nor will not, receive income from any entity making a profit from the cemetery, including filming interests, tours, cemetery activities or cemetery fees - nor will it accept money from those who do.
 
2) What is LCTC’s focus?
A) LCTC’s focus is exclusively on Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. We are happy to share our counsel with others and absolutely do not want problems at Lafayette No. 1 to spill over into other city cemeteries. We hope our efforts for change and protection will actually benefit other cemeteries in the city, but our organization has no aspirations beyond the scope of this one cemetery. It is where our loved ones are buried and where we are the only stakeholders. Our goal, as mentioned above, is to preserve the singular purpose of Lafayette No. 1 as a cemetery – a sacred resting place for the deceased interred there - to advocate for its protection and dignity and to educate about its accurate history. To this end, we have focused on contacting and educating city leaders responsible for the cemetery on recent, serious problems there in order to ensure its protection long-term.
 
Within the cemetery, we are not focused on individual preservation projects or on events involving the solicitation of donations, but on Lafayette No. 1’s well-being as a whole. The projects we plan to undertake will focus on dignity for the deceased (securing abandoned tombs from desecrators and continued deterioration while also restricting the types of behaviors allowed in the cemetery), peace for the deceased and for their visiting families, and safety for all guests. In short, our focus is on real people – both the deceased and their living visitors.

LCTC’s underlying premise is that Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is a cemetery – first, last and always – and that, as such, warrants respect, dignity and protection for all interred there. It is not an entertainment venue to be exploited by profit-motivated or macabre interests. It is not a movie set or an amusement park. It is not even a museum or historical park. It is not a public forum of any kind. It is a cemetery only. These are sacred grounds.
 
3) Who is helping LCTC?
A) A number of outstanding professionals are helping LCTC pro bono to achieve its goals. These professionals are experts in the fields of municipal and historic cemetery management, cemetery preservation, historic site management, and law. Several have agreed to be on our advisory council. Their help and advice have been invaluable.
 
4) What do LCTC’s associate dues cover?
A) We are determined to keep LCTC dues as low as possible. Annual dues are currently $35 for Owner Associates, $20 for Family Associates and $10 for Friend-Affiliate Associates. These minimal dues are used for resources for LCTC associates, our continued initiative with the City of New Orleans and Family Days in the cemetery such as those we've organized during the closure to allow families to prepare their plots ahead of and to visit them on All Saints’ Day. They also partially cover the basic expenses needed for communicating with the city (which is responsible for securing and maintaining the cemetery), Lafayette No. 1 families and the community such as email and website accounts, clerical and mailing expenses.
 
We are still new, but as the organization grows, we plan to use any additional funds beyond these essential operating expenses to help update records on the cemetery, to help secure abandoned tombs, to honor its deceased and to make the cemetery a safer, more dignified place for the interred there, their families and guests in the cemetery. We also hope to provide educational lectures and materials in the future for Lafayette No. 1 families and the community at large.
 
5) How does LCTC maintain financial accountability and transparency?
A) LCTC is designated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation by the IRS. As such, we are required to file an annual 990 form with the IRS on all this organization’s income and expenditures. These filings are available in the public domain for all nonprofits. LCTC filed its first 990-N with the IRS in April, 2020, and has continued to do so annually. Our board treasurer is an experienced, degreed accountant who submits quarterly reports to the board and keeps careful, current records for all filings. LCTC is also registered with Guidestar, an online non-profit registry.
 
6) Does LCTC share the contact information of those in its database?
A) LCTC data bases and records are kept confidential. It does not share contact information with any commercial entity. It does plan to share cemetery plot information (both location of plots and contact information for their owners) with the Cemetery Department of the City of New Orleans in order to help update their missing and outdated records. As with any property ownership, in the event of an emergency such as storm damage or the recent vandalism there or to clarify ownership if someone is claiming rights to the plot, it is critical for the city to have current owner contact information for the tomb or coping in question.
 
If you have comments, concerns or questions not addressed on this page, please contact us through the CONTACT US portal on this website or email us directly at LCTC@lafayettecemeteryno1.org