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Ashland council approves emergency ordinance to accept donations for cemetery repairs after vandalism
Summary
The Ashland City Council passed an emergency ordinance on first reading to create a donation fund and appropriate $25,735 raised to help repair damaged headstones and monuments at a local cemetery following recent vandalism.
The Ashland City Council on July 1 approved an emergency ordinance on first reading to accept and appropriate donations for repairs to damaged headstones and monuments at a local cemetery.
The ordinance creates a donation line so the city can act as a central conduit and quickly disperse funds to the cemetery association or its vendors, Director Larry Paxton said. "As of this evening, the city has received $25,735 in donations for that project," Paxton said.
The nut graf: Council members said the city is not the owner of the cemetery but agreed to handle receipts and accounting so contributions can be tracked and vendors paid promptly. Mayor Miller said the council shared "dismay and disappointment" about the vandalism and thanked community groups that have offered financial support.
Council discussion clarified the city's role and the cemetery board's authority. Paxton and other speakers said the cemetery association — a nonprofit — will contract for work, approve invoices and sign off when repairs meet the board's satisfaction. Paxton explained the city will issue receipts for gifts and send a thank-you letter to donors.
Council voted to suspend the normal three-reading rule and approved the ordinance on an emergency basis so funds could be spent without waiting through multiple meetings. The motion to approve passed with recorded "aye" votes from members recorded in the meeting minutes.
Council members also noted additional community contributions: officials said the Oaks Lodge planned to donate at least $13,000 toward a security system to monitor the cemetery, and veterans' and historical groups had fielded offers to help. Officials described much of the damage as handiwork on older, sometimes hand-carved headstones that are difficult or impossible to exactly replace.
The ordinance and related appropriations are intended to speed payment to vendors selected by the cemetery association and to provide audited accounting of contributions and expenditures.
