This article was taken from the Columbus, IN Republic and permission was
granted to post here at this website.
James R. Hull, Ph.D.
A tree grows between two headstones in Sharon Cemetery in Clay Township.
Many of the county's pioneer cemeteries are mowed, but the headstones have
suffered years of neglect.
Photo by Marla Miller
Commissioners against establishing cemetery board
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
By Marla Miller, mmiller(a)therepublic.com
Bartholomew County Commissioners believe cemetery care is an important issue
best addressed by townships. The commissioners shot down the idea of
creating a countywide cemetery commission in 2001 and continue to take the
same stance. "The commissioners' feeling is 'Why do we need to create
another layer of government when the township already has a system in place,
'" said Larry Kleinhenz, commission president. "If the county ever does
that, I think we are saying that we're not happy with the way trustees are
taking care of cemeteries. We feel like we have good trustees and for the
most part, they're doing a good job. They may need additional funds, but
those funds should come from that township." Under state law, commissioners
may appoint a five-member county cemetery commission which can levy a tax to
restore and maintain cemeteries that:
Are without funds or sources for reasonable maintenance.
Have suffered neglect and deterioration.
May be the burial grounds for Indiana pioneer leaders or veterans of an
American war.
Were established before 1850.
Many of the townships' abandoned cemeteries meet those criteria and could
fall under the commission's authority, said Cris West, a local cemetery
historian. However, she envisions the commission serving in an advisory
role. "It ensures they're all taken care of the same way," she said.
"It's
not up to each individual person. It's up to a standard." The law
establishes a county-level agency devoted to cemeteries, said Jeannie
Regan-Dinius, cemetery registry coordinator for the Department of Natural
Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. "The
commission and trustees can be responsible for different cemeteries, but
ideally they work together," she said. "I'm not real acquainted with all
the cemeteries out there and the various efforts township trustees make,"
said Commissioner Carl Lienhoop, who took office in January. "There probably
isn't a lot of uniformity between them." Lienhoop believes the status quo
is working. "If we create another board, it's another group that needs
funding," he said. "We have so many requests for so many things and it all
takes money." Cemetery maintenance tends to be a back-burner issue, but
commissioners believe taxpayers care how abandoned cemeteries look and are
willing to pay for their upkeep. "Local citizens need to remind their
trustees that they're responsible," said Commissioner Paul Franke.
"Initially, it may look like a huge tax, but it's a cost you're going to
have to bear whether it's on a countywide basis or a townshipwide basis. I
don't feel like the commissioners need to step in and take over when we have
statutes in place." County residents upset over cemetery care can bring
their complaints to the commissioners, but they believe concerns will be
better addressed at the township level. "If people in each individual
township are upset, they have a means to voice and create change," Kleinhenz
said. "The trustee and advisory board are a lot more accessible than higher
layers of government." If enough constituents call their trustees or show
up at advisory board meetings, it's bound to get their attention. They also
can make a statement at the polls, Kleinhenz said. Residents also can
organize cleanup events and seek volunteer groups to help, Franke said. "In
the past, we've let township trustees off the hook," Franke said. "But if
one or two townships get things started, it gets the ball rolling. I think
people will come forward and want to have this done. They're going to have
to have the trustees put a little additional money into it."
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