[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6454316,"mediaKeyId","5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12","parentId",5861487,"title","Dorchester burial-site board plans cemetery tours, expands outreach and promotional materials","audioSeconds",2605,"startMs",545000,"endMs",3150000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12&start=545&end=3150","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12/thumbnail_545000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6454316/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Dorchester-burial-site-board-plans-cemetery-tours-expands-outreach-and-promotional-materials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454316-d1572deea6a7fb2565196ea730cd82ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1776226374&Signature=Jyb7SItkaiNFaiQmozLmrvdnIEPryLwv2aHS191bSr9y8gguhHBx9u6zpk8n59LSWyb9dl~1rsKSsFRzWLGLt8i-1B1Uvd9C5HGV7D3By9tJs2G-5cEQclCj9Qwaqcmrnjtu6NXlDtDOUPUnLJT5VuAjwx-aIGIF7faVH-Mf9RjsiZKrkUVI4Hf04m022n-qqD~YvtHS-9fZkmDKX-ASzf-7IeLhQ3a61zaS6bzqSCGF9O99DI-kC664rLcVKj8LwzRyEluo0Kyl9~J~g-~o1r4HBH3ONea~E7S21aWoMzAAj2XGmTQIoIlIiy5cZ3-dvUWxFG09TAHigf6L11Bj5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dorchester County, MD","date","2025-09-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Dorchester County Burial Site Preservation Board reported strong public interest at a recent Native American fall festival and advanced plans for a cemetery tour and other outreach activities while clarifying rules on fundraising and donated materials.

Board member Karen said the board’s booth at the Native American fall festival drew “all ages” and that interactive activities for children and “rubbings” for adults prompted many conversations and interest. She said the group nearly ran out of printed materials but stretched supplies and collected contact interest from residents.

The outreach push matters because board members said more residents are contacting the county with information about burial sites; the board is trying to build public awareness of preservation practices and to direct people to an official reporting process.

Board members discussed scheduling a public cemetery tour (described in the meeting as a “cemetery experience” or tour) and tentatively identified early November dates to hold a single-day event or a choice of Nov. 1 or Nov. 8 if participants need flexibility. The planned route mentioned in the meeting would begin at Church Creek Cemetery, proceed to Richardson Cemetery and Trinity, then visit an older site near Old Harris Road; the board discussed coordinating with local fire companies and showing maintenance demonstrations.

Members agreed to increase the board’s presence online and on social media. Kelly, board administrator, confirmed that the group’s Facebook page is active and that members may send photos and event copy to be posted; the board discussed compiling a map of known sites and noted an existing private resource, DorchesterGraves.com, that contains many site records.

The group debated promotional materials and the use of the county logo. Dorothy volunteered to pay for a banner, and members discussed business cards with a QR code linking to the board’s county email. Kelly advised that county printing typically uses specific file formats and suggested staff could circulate a printer-ready JPEG of the Dorchester County logo; members said they would supply images to a printer or county staff for production.

On donations and fundraising, the board reiterated that it has no independent budget account. At one point a board member said, “this board cannot collect and or raise funding fees, money in any form” and noted that county Chapter 63 governs the board. Later in the meeting Kelly, the board administrator, said she did not see a restriction in the chapter on accepting donated items (donations in kind) for events and that the board lacks an expenditure budget. The board concluded that donated materials (for example, banners or donated table cloths) and in-kind contributions for outreach could be workable but that any change to allow the board to receive or hold monetary donations would require council action and likely a charter or code amendment.

Members also agreed to pursue partnerships with county tourism staff to list events and to invite a Dorchester County tourism representative to help promote the cemetery tours. Several board members said they would coordinate with county staff to post events on the county tourism calendar and on the board’s Facebook page.

The board agreed to hold outreach at other nearby events, including the historic-society Heritage Harvest Festival (advertised for Oct. 25) if event staff allow a table, and to maintain a rolling calendar of community events for 2026. Organizers said they will not require the full board at every event; instead one or two members may staff tables and hand out informational cards.

The meeting closed the outreach discussion by asking members to bring photos, sign-up information and suggested calendar dates to the October 20 work session and the regular Oct. 27 meeting so the outreach plan can be finalized.

Ending: The board set follow-up tasks: (1) finalize a tour date (Nov. 1 or Nov. 8 were discussed), (2) convert logo files into printer-ready formats with county staff, (3) post events and photos to the board Facebook page and (4) pursue a tourism-calendar listing via county tourism staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Burial Site Preservation Board Meeting - Sep, 29 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Members of the Dorchester County Burial Site Preservation Board reported a successful outreach booth at a recent Native American fall festival, agreed to pursue a Cemetery Tour in November, and discussed social-media mapping and donated promotional materials while clarifying county limits on raising money.","taxTitle","Dorchester County, Maryland","taxId",72249,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6454302,"Board requests guidance on tombstone cleaning and preservation methods",109,2471000,2580000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12&start=2471&end=2580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12/thumbnail_2471000.jpg","/articles/6454302/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Board-requests-guidance-on-tombstone-cleaning-and-preservation-methods","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454302-3b1b0ac490f751a848f35b5cbd8a8732/orig.mp4?Expires=1776226374&Signature=emIf~eULNHBwMOkY3ms8rge3kRIFt5czuPbDV866zgPzH~q6UKBYSQdZrpQInKf-9ZJu663LuZrv~h4aPQ0hX17PVVvDz1dx5kcLXCkReVstwyurwirXaigcOL97i5HWPOnbuYEXcQaEeF6zVLTabM32aVTI1F-9K1QpUt31EHpmnWgNeVqYTwIC7fLUAFdC~WmhtdS3m-ocksUi7MG-KvcLI64~6nSh68IMeeL8NJQt2yC8EcRjPw8rxYgf1bC1hesTGso1SGXBMXT1hn3e-Xs2sWjgX-~HGEWUL5hCDuo6rfkMNf4CSwj9DdecT~Lx8RUR8bQ~M2I4q4R5hqkAEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board members sought guidance on appropriate cleaning and preservation techniques for older gravestones and discussed inviting demonstrations as part of outreach events.

A board member asked for instructions on how to clean headstones; one experienced participant recommended soap, water and a soft brush and cautioned against chemicals depending on the stone type. Members noted that many older markers are made of limestone, which is fragile and should not be aggressively cleaned. One member said resources and training videos are available through BillionGraves and similar conservation sources.

The board discussed arranging a practical demonstration during a future tour or outreach event and asking a local maintenance contractor who already visits cemetery sites to speak about weekly maintenance routines. Members also raised concern about large cement toppers on older graves that are deteriorating and discussed researching long-term weather-resistant repair solutions; one member suggested epoxy as a possibility but the group did not adopt any treatment and noted repairs require technical review.

Ending: The board agreed that Kelly will circulate links to online training resources (for example, BillionGraves cleaning guides) and that the group will pursue a demonstration at a future outreach event rather than adopting repair methods without further technical advice.

","Board members requested and agreed to share resources on safe cleaning methods for historic tombstones, discussed limitations for cleaning limestone and marble and planned a live demonstration at a future outreach event.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6454305,"Board outlines scope for cemetery master list and GIS mapping; staff involvement and council approval required",0,2345000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12&start=2345&end=2345","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12/thumbnail_2345000.jpg","/articles/6454305/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Board-outlines-scope-for-cemetery-master-list-and-GIS-mapping-staff-involvement-and-council-approval-required","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454305-d8e774cf6f49a35e067bf1b023c8e2f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776226374&Signature=CwiyvShfZPRxzQm~iI-~ZS~eIOi8m3aR8zypEPdjQfg8IeEgWIIVUkdCF76xxUjLrv4SMwdXmLRqhnxdbXoYIZnwfStvkE5-cO7PJcHbJ~SX-vy1HxD0mH4ZCLe2KWPJSnMm8maW1aBLnbwZtZw1BKIq~572qkzX4y-WwY~0OJhKTDL14tYM6V1VLQCrawQA9-pD-lN~SsYD0itIXBDPwZhNLis4dahzMfgC1e8ZAQ2jsS~16Osl8osxmRMuTTbWHPtMQykOlhmlxjcg8DmJWKnXkrU6QRJbzLJVwd7Gqx3xaWlPIX8iWL28Q9ca46UuLY6o8~3sqdyu-aNb2gKTvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dorchester County Burial Site Preservation Board discussed a multi-step plan to develop a cemetery master list and to integrate known burial sites into a GIS-based county map, noting that staff resources and council approvals will be necessary for any integrated county database.

Board members said they will work first to collect information and photographs for the master list. Dave reported he had identified “20-plus graves” at a site and will submit a survey form and photos to the board administrator; the transcript records that survey form submissions are received by the board administrator and that planning-and-zoning staff may be involved in later processing.

Kelly, the board administrator, warned that tying any master-list mapping into an existing county GIS system will involve staff fees and planning-and-zoning participation and will require council review and approval. Members agreed to develop a project scope before requesting county resources, and they discussed inviting a GIS specialist (proposed ex officio Mark Deleo) to several meetings to help draft that scope.

The board noted an external database resource (Salisbury University and a private site, DorchesterGraves.com) and said they would investigate data-sharing possibilities. Members agreed to prioritize creating a searchable, public-facing list of known sites but acknowledged that a formal county-hosted GIS layer would be a longer process involving a scope-of-work, cost estimate and council sign-off.

Ending: The board directed members to collect survey forms, photographs and any available existing databases and to prepare a project scope for review with county staff before pursuing GIS integration.","The Burial Site Preservation Board discussed developing a master cemetery list and integrating Native American and African American cemetery sites into county mapping systems; members were advised that GIS integration will require staff time, fees and likely county-council approval for scope and resources.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6454310,"Burial-site board welcomes new member, discusses filling vacant seats and ex officio roles",202,177000,379000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12&start=177&end=379","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5861487-ce333e73c9593c2f1fed2be8823cea12/thumbnail_177000.jpg","/articles/6454310/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Burial-site-board-welcomes-new-member-discusses-filling-vacant-seats-and-ex-officio-roles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454310-fa81b784b7541e27c85c4201014ad0d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776226374&Signature=C-OL0ww0mpS6yapR139dvn7pXHHQ7Ey7Txq6xeNFiG9JIVrw18uXhewbAFY8BS1n1hd0ipJV3NstSYK4UJAS9tOXfaP0tUPVdozQm3FouxsbB0Y7PYxLYRXmigAluK4fBpi2oTMWH2Vl0XyiZcEhjqK2eH1xgIoGHsi-u-wocAC1E-LMfk7d3TjY-TR76x8Nw7~wmCJIpYwdPcbnq6ciP9Eg8AoW7Qi6fU7WXD5aWJkrFBpPCEy6h5oUcgwmlP9niadi2M-I4hyzbWjotjY-pRj~5hEKaouwkVMo4csH2Q6KOBSymXa9AznbdMB4RWWT8p4u0iLJQwYZIexMa1p7KA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Dorchester County Burial Site Preservation Board formally welcomed Rod Benjamin as a new board member and discussed several pending appointments and ex officio roles.

At roll call the president (identified as Simon) noted a quorum. The board acknowledged two other potential candidates who have not submitted required paperwork and said staff will follow up.

Board members discussed outreach to real-estate agents to improve awareness of cemetery regulations. Dave (first name only in transcript) said local agents were generally unaware of existing rules and volunteered to reach out to agents who expressed interest in learning more. Board members proposed developing a short training or informational procedure realtors could use.

Karen and others reported that Glenn Bramble had expressed interest in serving and that Marcus (stated affiliation: Dorchester County Historic Site) preferred to delay applying until he has “his feet” and can commit time. Several members discussed appointing people as ex officio when they are interested but unable to serve fully; the board noted ex officio appointments do not require council confirmation, whereas full board appointments require submitting a letter of interest for council review.

The board also discussed adding a GIS specialist, identified in the meeting as Mark Deleo (spelled in the transcript; sometimes said aloud). Members proposed appointing him as an ex officio GIS contact to assist with mapping work; Kelly, the board administrator, said they still need a formal letter of interest to bring to the board for a vote.

The board voted to approve the minutes from the Aug. 25 meeting; the transcript records a motion, a second and the chair’s call for an aye vote but does not record a roll-call tally.

Ending: The group assigned follow-up: staff to collect letters of interest, members to reach out to prospective appointees, and the board to consider ex officio appointments at the next meeting.","The Dorchester County Burial Site Preservation Board welcomed new appointee Rod Benjamin, discussed outstanding vacancies and possible ex officio appointments (including a proposed GIS ex officio), and approved minutes from the prior meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dorchester burial-site board plans cemetery tours, expands outreach and promotional materials

Board requests guidance on tombstone cleaning and preservation methods

Board outlines scope for cemetery master list and GIS mapping; staff involvement and council approval required

Burial-site board welcomes new member, discusses filling vacant seats and ex officio roles