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Jones County postpones decision on State Place Cemetery; officials seek surveys, EPD guidance and public input
Summary
The county postponed action on moving graves at State Place Cemetery and directed staff to obtain survey work, state environmental guidance and a public-identification period so families can be notified and consulted before any disinterment.
The Jones County Board of Commissioners on May 20 voted to postpone action on the State Place Cemetery matter and asked staff to conduct additional research, survey the parcel and seek guidance from state environmental officials before soliciting bids to move graves.
Commission discussion focused on a narrow corridor of graves that county staff said lie across the landfill footprint. County officials said moving graves may be required to maintain landfill buffers and protect on-site test wells, but they also raised concerns about notifying descendants and preserving family and historic relationships among burials.
A public commenter, Eda Pitts, urged the county to follow legal procedures and warned that graves cannot be disinterred without proper notification and paperwork. "You can't just go out there and just disinterring those graves," Pitts said during public comment.
Board members said the county needs clearer limits set by an environmental regulator and an accurate survey before proceeding. One commissioner asked staff to obtain the relevant EPD/EPA requirements, involve a surveyor and consult funeral-home representatives to help handle notifications and the public-relations work that accompanies any disinterment.
The board also discussed establishing a fence and reestablishing an access road from Overland Way to separate cemetery property from the landfill footprint and to protect test wells. Commissioners suggested leaving a public-identification window—30 to 45 days—so family members can identify graves and advise on relocation preferences before the county requests bids for moving remains.
Action: the board made and approved a motion to postpone the item to give staff time to survey the site, consult environmental authorities and plan a public-identification period.
Ending: staff will return with survey results, guidance from relevant state agencies and a recommended public-notice plan before the board solicits bids or approves disinterment.
