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Hendry County hears public outcry over cemetery cleanups; plans ordinance review and improved notification
Summary
Residents and commissioners clashed Tuesday over county cemetery cleanup procedures after staff removed items from graves. The board directed staff to improve notification and bring cemetery rules and enforcement back as an agenda item.
Public speakers and commissioners on Tuesday pressed Hendry County officials to improve how the county notifies families before removing items from grave sites, and the board agreed to revisit cemetery rules and enforcement procedures.
Several residents described items removed from grave plots and asked the county to stop removing mementos without adequate notice. Jennifer Atkinson, whose daughter’s grave was discussed during the meeting, said she regularly maintains a bordered plot and objected after staff removed solar lights: “They went out and took the lights off of her grave,” Atkinson said. She added that border coping on her grave was installed with a permit and that she maintains the plot herself.
Vice Chair Mitchell Wills and other commissioners acknowledged the emotional weight of the issue and said the county must balance maintenance needs with respect for grieving families. Wills asked for a clearer notification process; board members and staff described a practice of tagging and photographing lots before removal but said notification procedures had not reached all affected families.
County staff said the new cemetery supervisor is following the county’s existing cemetery ordinance and that crews tag items, post a notice on the lot and take dated photographs before removing objects after a grace period. Staff acknowledged the communication process needs improvement and agreed to return with a staff report proposing changes, including clearer notification procedures and a review of mower practices in cemetery maintenance.
Commissioners asked staff to bring cemetery-ordinance language and an implementation plan back to the board for public comment at a future meeting. The board also directed staff to document and make available the county’s existing sign-and-photo process for marking lots, so family members can confirm when a lot was posted and what was removed.
The board did not adopt new rules at Tuesday’s meeting; it asked staff to prepare an agenda item with recommendations, to improve outreach to families and to consider equipment or mowing-practice changes to reduce damage to bordered plots.
