This article was taken from the Columbus, IN Republic and permission was
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James R. Hull, Ph.D.
Some of the headstones in Donaldson Cemetery date back to the 1850's.
Photo by Margot Kirby
Caring upkeep
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
By Marla Miller, mmiller(a)therepublic.com
One of Larry Boyle's predecessors had the foresight to establish a
certificate of deposit for cemetery maintenance. Today, the Rockcreek
Township trustee is sitting on a $12,000 CD earmarked for cemetery care.
Many of his counterparts, however, struggle to cover mowing costs while
keeping the tax rate stable. In Bartholomew County, there is no consistency
as to how township-controlled cemeteries are maintained and how much is
budgeted for upkeep. Most started as family or church burial grounds and
were deeded to the townships long ago. The county's 12 township trustees
say the responsibility comes with the job and they do the best they can with
the resources they have. "I'd like a little more feedback from the
community on how much they'd like to see spent on improvements," said Nancy
Meyer, Clifty Township trustee. "All older cemeteries have multiple problems
that are difficult and expensive to do." Question of cost In 2002, Meyer
budgeted an extra $3,300 for repairs such as new fencing, dirt and rocks,
which are being completed this summer. James Frederick, Ohio Township
trustee, said the $400 he pays to have his only cemetery mowed is a bargain.
He contracts with a nearby landowner to maintain the 20 graves in Sweeney
Cemetery, which accepted a few new burials in recent years. Frederick, who
took office in January, would like to erect a sign. His long-term goal is to
put up a fence. He agrees with the law, but said it's hard for trustees to
meet expectations. "I'm all about dignity for the dead," he said.
"Everyone
's entitled to have their final resting place marked and maintained. "I
think the statute is designed so cemeteries don't get forgotten. But to
really do all that and do it right would present a financial burden." An
old-cemetery buff, Frederick said it would be tough to take on a second one
without warning. "I would have to go mow it myself until I drafted up
funds," he said. Care inconsistent To keep the tax rate low, trustees tend
to budget only for basic yard care. That restricts more extensive
restoration work and poses a problem when new cemeteries surface. Several
trustees know their cemeteries don't meet state statute standards. "Our
cemeteries are old, and the stones need to be put back up, but that's very
expensive to do," said Ron Hatton, Hawcreek Township trustee. "We put enough
in just to maintain them." David Johnson-Bey, Clay Township trustee, takes
care of Sharon Baptist and Sand Hill Presbyterian cemeteries. His son and
parents are buried in Sharon, along with Revolutionary War soldier Jonathon
Moore. "I think we need to keep the cemeteries looking nice," he said.
"We
need to clean those two up a little more. There's some bushes growing up
near the stones and debris around the fences." In Rockcreek Township, Boyle
said two of his three cemeteries are in good condition. Headstones in
Donaldson Presbyterian and Burnsville Christian have been straightened and
reset. He's preparing to do similar work at Parkinson Cemetery later this
summer. The CD, worth about $800 when he took office in 1982, has helped
pay for the repairs. "I've mainly just used it when I worked on the two
cemeteries," he said. The money also is handy when unexpected expenses
arise. A recent storm blew down a limb, which Boyle is planning to have
cleared. "I'll probably have to dip into the CD if I exceed what my budget
is for the year," he said. "If you haven't been planning like a year or two
ahead for something, it's there." Burials are still allowed at Donaldson,
which is one of the main reasons trustees should maintain an active, public
cemetery, Boyle said. "If somebody in my township needs to be buried there,
we have a place for them," he said. "It lets your township know you're
doing something, if nothing else. If I lived across from a cemetery, I'd
want it looking nice." Tough, thankless job Trustees say they've been
fortunate to find good people to tend to their cemeteries. They usually
contract with someone who lives near the graveyard or offers an affordable
price. "Cemeteries are the hardest thing to mow," Boyle said. "I did it
one
year." Randall Clark, Wayne Township trustee, agrees. "There's not much
glory in mowing cemeteries," he said. "It's a lot of work and it's hard
on
equipment." Donna Young, Flat Rock Township trustee since 1978, said she
and her children used to mow the township's cemeteries. She is particular
about who she hires, because it's easy to bump and break headstones. In
1997, Young helped the Friends of Liberty group clean up the frequently
vandalized Liberty Cemetery. Home to many of Columbus' first settlers, she
now keeps the historic burial grounds locked. "As a person, I thought it
was fun," she said. "You learn the names of people who are buried there. As
you Weed Eat, you wonder what the people were like and think of all the
lives. But I'm a historian, I like history." Flat Rock Township has other
abandoned cemeteries, but the property owners refuse to deed them over or
give her access, she said. Whether trustees like the duty or not is beside
the point. "How can we not obey the law?" she said. "Either you're
going to
do the job or you're not. If you don't do a good job, they'll vote you out.
That's why they elect us." In Harrison Township, Trustee David Dwyer takes
care of four cemeteries. He knows of three more that likely will become his
responsibility. One is an island in Camp Atterbury with 68 graves. He is
seeking a Boy Scout to clean up the cemetery as an Eagle Scout project.
Unlike the other trustees, Dwyer furnishes the equipment and gasoline and
pays someone for labor. "I take it very seriously," he said. "We need to
make sure we take care of our ancestors. If we don't remember our heritage,
we're doing them an injustice." Beyond repair Jackson Township has three
abandoned cemeteries that Trustee David Hoene said were neglected long
before he took office. "They had already been pretty well destroyed," he
said. "Twenty-five years ago, it wasn't high on the priority list. People
didn't care. One was on private land, and the owners turned cows in there."
Besides being hard to access, two have no visible headstones. "There's
nothing there anymore," he said. "You wouldn't know they were there.
"It's
a big problem, especially if there's nobody left (to tell you who's buried
there)," he said. "The best you can do is fence it off and get some type of
plaque up there." Hoene is budgeting money to make minimal repairs to a
third. Trees now consume the burial site near Waymansville. "We're going to
put a fence around that and try to preserve it the best we can," he said.
"We know we're supposed to be getting some of these things fenced. We're
going to work on it." Spending tax dollars on defunct cemeteries is not
popular, Hoene said. "A lot of people do not think that's high-priority
stuff," he said. "If you asked, I doubt one out of 100 people would know
where these cemeteries were at. A lot of people wouldn't have a clue or even
care." A township trustee who fails to maintain an abandoned cemetery
commits a Class C infraction, but it falls to the county prosecutor to
enforce. An infraction is equivalent to a parking ticket, punishable only by
a fine, said Bill Nash, Bartholomew County prosecutor. Nash said he would
investigate complaints brought to his attention. He was unfamiliar with the
law and found the infraction clause interesting. "The Legislature thought
there was something special about that duty," he said. "Usually, voters are
supposed to judge the job elected officials are doing. For the most part, it
's not a crime not to do your job."
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