Resident urges cleanup of Lone Oak Cemetery; city staff says property is owned by Lone Oak nonprofit

Polly Grieves told the Stayton City Council during public comment on June 16 that Lone Oak Cemetery is overgrown and in need of cleanup, and she asked the city to help coordinate work.

"I drove by it the other day and was pretty appalled and pretty upset...it was like Potter's Field," Grieves said, describing tall weeds, overflowing trash receptacles and general neglect around family graves. She said she has difficulty maintaining her mother's plot and that the prior maintenance by an Odd Fellows volunteer ended when that individual died.

Mayor Brian Quigley and city staff clarified that the cemetery is not city property. Julia (city staff) reported staff research showing the Lone Oak Cemetery parcel is owned by the Lone Oak Cemetery nonprofit and said the contact listed online appeared to be deceased. Staff added they had reached out to Weddell’s Funeral Home to find a current contact and that Chief Johns supplied a contact associated with Odd Fellows; staff said they have sent a letter and left messages and await a response. The council discussed options including code enforcement, coordinating volunteer cleanups (students doing community service, organized volunteer crews, or people performing court-ordered community service) and seeking permission from the nonprofit to perform work on the property.

Several residents in the audience, including a local exterior-cleaning contractor, offered to donate time and materials if permission to work on the site is granted. City staff said the first step is to confirm ownership and obtain permission before arranging a cleanup; no formal council action was taken that evening.

Councilors and staff said they would continue trying to locate the responsible party and pursue appropriate next steps if permission for a cleanup can be obtained.