Township updates Peace Park plans, calumbarium bid and 175th cemetery celebration

Township staff told trustees they have final drawings for Peace Park, have started tree removal based on engineering recommendations and plan fundraising that will allow donors to purchase memorial trees, benches and pavers.

Clerk and staff said cemetery burial records have been digitized into SIMS cemetery information management software and will be made available online for genealogy research and plot purchases. The board was also told the township is preparing a one‑hundred‑seventy‑fifth celebration on Nov. 20 and that historical board records are being gathered from the DeKalb County History Center.

Staff said a calumbarium project is in its final design stages but will have to go out to public bid because its anticipated cost exceeds $30,000. The board discussed potential grant opportunities for cemetery repair funds; a staff member noted there is a cemetery grant program that awards up to $20,000 per project and that registering in federal vendor systems (for example, SAM.gov) is time consuming but may be required to access some grant funds.

Board members and staff also reviewed recent community events tied to township services: a tire recycling event that served 66 households, a shred event that served 157 households and ICASH outreach that helped about 19 people recover nearly $20,000 in unclaimed funds for participants.

No formal action was taken on Peace Park or the calumbarium at the meeting; staff said permits have been submitted to the city and construction will not begin until spring because of seasonal timing. Staff invited trustees and community members to review plans and to assist with fundraising and grant application work.