City steps in, will bill cemetery owner
* By ANDREA HOWE
_andrea(a)pdclarion.com_ (mailto:andrea@pdclarion.com)
PRINCETON — Mayor Bob Hurst said the owner of IOOF and Maple Hill
Cemeteries will get a hefty bill for last-minute work to make the two properties
presentable for Memorial Day.
Hurst said he contracted with an Owensville mowing company to mow and trim
and clean up the IOOF cemetery on the city’s north side. He said Monday he’
ll be sending the Washington-based owners of the two cemeteries a $1,600
bill for the IOOF work.
Hurst said he sent five city employees out to mow and trim and remove
fallen trees from Maple Hill Cemetery on the city’s south side over the weekend,
as well. He said the cemetery owners will be billed for the labor of the
five men at overtime rates, plus the cost of fuel and equipment use.
The city stepped in after numerous complaints from residents about the
condition of the privately owned property. Princeton maintains Warnock Cemetery
on North Main, but does not routinely maintain privately owned cemeteries.
Hurst said in addition to the paid mowing contractor and five paid city
employees working eight hours over the weekend at Maple Hill, there were
several volunteers who pitched in to groom the IOOF and Maple Hill cemeteries
for the holiday.
The condition of the two cemeteries has been a source of contention for
several years for people with loved ones buried there.
The two cemeteries were once owned and maintained by the local IOOF Lodge,
but were sold to the Mattingly family in Washington almost 10 years ago
when Oddfellows Lodge 64 could no longer afford the upkeep.
Hurst said the work is similar to what the city does in other cases when
there are complaints about unkempt properties.
The city routinely sends notices to property owners about violations of the
city’s grass ordinance, and if they’re ignored, the city mows the
property and puts a lien on the property.
Hurst said he’s even inquired about whether the city could get the deed for
eyesore properties that go to sheriff’s sale, demolish unsafe structures
and sell the cleaned up property to neighbors or someone willing to take
care of the lot.