We had a very productive meeting at the Indiana
Historical Society today. People in attendance were
Bud Bush, Eddie Hager, & Angela Tielking from Henry
Co., John Molitor, an attorney representing the
Historic Landmarks Foundation & the Indiana Historical
Society,Katherine Dill from the Indiana Historical
Society, Cris West from Bartholomew Co., and me from
Marion Co.
The bill approved by the Local Government Legislative
Study Committee changed the required date for the
establishment of pioneer cemeteries to before 1875.
After some discussion, we decided to request that the
date be changed to 1900. This would accommodate the
pioneers of Newton Co, where the settlement period
ended in 1855.
Additional changes discussed for IC 23-14-67 Care of
Cemeteries by Counties were, that a County Cemetery
Commission will consist of 5 or more members, with the
following duties
assist Twsp. Trustees in the care of cemeteries
accept donations for the care of cemeteries
work with the county auditor to correct deeds
file an annual report with the DNR-DHPA
archive old Twsp. burial records
A change to IC 23-14-68 Care of Cemeteries by
Townships would require Township Trustees to file an
annual report on the care of cemeteries, the amount of
money spent, any new burials or pauper burials, and
recommendations for future expenses.Townships would
also be required to give old burial records to the
county instead of destroying them.
In an attempt to keep utilities from digging through
cemeteries, they would be required to have a
development plan approved by the Indiana Utility
Regulatory Commission.
Most people involved with the Legislature have not
given us much hope of addressing access to landlocked
cemeteries,or cemeteries on private property. We came
up with some new ideas today. In the case of
landlocked cemeteries, absolving the property owner of
any liability might change some minds about granting
access. The cemetery land tax credit IC 6-1.1-6.8 has
never been used because the property owner must pay
for the required survey. Creating a means for the
property owner to gift a Co. Cemetery Commission with
a cemetery, would allow the Co. Surveyor to do the
survey and the property owner to receive a tax credit.
John Molitor will put all the ideas from our recent
meetings into the form of legislation to be presented
to Rep.Tom Sauders & Rep. Tiny Adams in the next
several days. The Township Trustee Association is also
looking at legislation to clarify some issues. Now is
the time for people on the INPCRP list to voice your
concern to the Gov. & your Legislators. Help educate &
prepare them for the changes we need.
Anyone who attended the meetings, feel free to correct
or add anything I goofed up.
Theresa
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