Resident raises dispute over Sylvania Cemetery; commission says civil matter, suggests township trustee and legal counsel

A resident raised a public comment about a dispute in eastern Greene County over Sylvania Cemetery, saying a neighbor in Welly is attempting to claim part of the cemetery. The commission and county attorney said the county does not have jurisdiction to resolve a property dispute and advised the resident to pursue civil remedies and consult the township trustee and an attorney. The resident said the cemetery had been given to a church around 1854 and that family members are buried there. "We've got trouble in Eastern Graham County with with a neighbor trying to take the cemetery," the resident said. The chair asked whether the church still owned the parcel; the resident said the church still has a board and that he had paperwork he could show. County Attorney Marvin said the matter appears to be a civil dispute between the church board and the neighbor and that the county does not have jurisdiction. He advised the resident to retain counsel. A commissioner added that the next governmental contact could be the township trustee and that any change in legal ownership would likely be recorded in the recorder's office. Marvin said he could discuss attorney recommendations privately after the meeting. The resident said a surveyor had told him he had a year to contest the matter and that the year was nearly up; the resident asked for help identifying next steps. No formal county action was taken during the public comment period; the commission offered procedural guidance and a post-meeting follow-up to discuss attorney referrals.