Fairfield cemetery board schedules headstone work, debates wrought‑iron fence and formalizes maintenance plans

The Fairfield Cemetery Board met Aug. 5 and set a timeline for headstone repairs, agreed to seek outside technical input for written cemetery rules, and debated whether to pursue a costly wrought‑iron perimeter fence or invest first in other site improvements.

Board member Holly Panick said she had spoken with monument contractor Amy Berry, who "can be here by 06:00 on Tuesday, September 9" to take and repair headstones, and offered to demonstrate additional leveling techniques when she visits. Panick said she will collect bids and follow up with the board on scheduling for the on‑site work.

The meeting focused heavily on two related issues: clarifying written rules for decorations and headstone placement, and resolving who carries operational authority. Board members expressed frustration that some town officials or contractors had acted without committee notice after the board had set its own procedures. "Leave David alone," board member Vern Carson said when recounting a town official's criticism of the sexton; the comment referenced ongoing disagreement about the sexton's duties versus what town staff handle.

David, identified in the meeting as the cemetery sexton, was discussed in relation to paperwork and field work. Panick reported questions from a town official who said the sexton "doesn't do anything," and the committee reaffirmed that sexton duties and a clear scope of responsibilities should be documented as part of the written rules.

For technical guidance the board welcomed an offer from Chris Orme, the sexton for Lehigh City, who Panick said "would be happy to come to one of our meetings and help us refine the SOPs for Fairfield." Orme reportedly described Lehigh's ordinance that specifies a six‑inch clear area around monuments and urged the committee to consider equipment access, waiver language for monument drilling, and practical limits on encroachment.

Members debated a proposed wrought‑iron fence. Committee members said the town has set aside funds for perimeter work, but one participant at a recent town meeting estimated a wrought‑iron fence could "be well over... north of $100,000," and another person — cited in the discussion as likely to oppose the fence — was said to favor entryway and curbing improvements instead. No final decision was taken; the board asked to develop a prioritized five‑year list of improvements (entryway/curbing, watering for new plantings, gravel/drive improvements, tree planting, mowing schedule) and to obtain multiple bids for the fence and related work before making a recommendation.

Maintenance and mowing drew extended discussion. Volunteers and committee members described mixed expectations about who mows and when. Ideas ranged from a single annual mowing, to monthly summer mowing, to a fixed volunteer maintenance schedule posted publicly. The board noted equipment problems: tires and inner tubes for the new lawnmower had been ordered and were pending delivery. A resident identified as "Grama" urged that the town not pay for routine mowing, saying, "we shouldn't be paying anybody. We have a mower and we have volunteers." No formal change to compensation or contracts was adopted.

Landscaping ideas also progressed. Board members favored a modest, native‑plant approach at the entrance — shrubs, perennials and a pollinator planting — over a full turf conversion, both to preserve the site’s historic character and to reduce irrigation needs. Natalie McKinney agreed to follow up with local greenhouse operators who had discussed donating plants and to pursue pollinator planting options in a future grant cycle (the group noted the USDA/time‑of‑year grant deadline is an April 1 application each year and that the board had missed the current cycle).

The board also confirmed it will prepare a nomination for the historical register; Panick said completing the form could wait until later in the year and that the cemetery is a strong candidate alongside other local historic properties named in the application. The board closed the meeting with plans to walk the cemetery and to resume the discussion at the next scheduled meeting.

No formal votes or ordinance adoptions were recorded during the Aug. 5 session; the committee assigned follow‑up tasks and planned on‑site work and vendor bids.