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Residents press Sebring officials over Lakeside Cemetery upkeep after volunteer cleaning dispute
Summary
Washington Heights residents told the City of Sebring they want permission to clean and maintain unclaimed graves at Lakeside Cemetery; city staff said private plots limit what public works can do and explained existing maintenance contracts and code enforcement exceptions.
Sebring residents from the Washington Heights neighborhood raised concerns at the May 20 City Council meeting about the condition of Lakeside Cemetery and a recent volunteer-led cleaning that included painting at least one vault.
At issue is who may perform maintenance on individual burial plots. Residents said volunteers have been cleaning and flagging veterans' graves ahead of Memorial Day and asked the city to allow volunteers to clean areas with no known family. “We just want to make our area just look more presentable,” resident Ada (no last name provided) said. “We ain't trying to break no rules or regulation … Just take the handcuffs off.”
Public Works Director Steve Kramer told the council the city oversees cemetery maintenance but generally cannot authorize work on private plots without family permission. “The challenge is…
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