Volunteers press council on upkeep of historic cemeteries as perpetual-care funds dwindle

During the communications portion of the Aug. 13 meeting volunteer Christopher Iredale urged the council to act on maintenance for Historic Cemetery Number 2 (Oskopaug Cemetery). He presented archival deeds and calculations showing that small perpetual-care sums collected more than a century ago now represent larger present-day dollar equivalents, and he said the cemetery contains several veterans graves including a Civil War veteran.

Town staff and the town solicitor acknowledged the town had accepted perpetual-care funds and that agreements dating back years assign responsibility for eight historic cemeteries (Perryville, Rose Hill, Congregational Churchyard, Queens River and others). Finance staff reported the pooled perpetual-care fund currently holds roughly $12,000 to maintain those eight sites; staff said maintenance has been provided historically by low-cost contractors or in one case an employee paid for the work on a modest basis.

Luke Murray and finance staff said the town is exploring options to improve reliability of maintenance, including using existing perpetual-care funds to buy equipment and gradually transitioning maintenance into the regular budget so the service is sustainable rather than reactive. Councilors noted prior ad-hoc efforts that produced results (e.g., mowing Queens River Cemetery) and said staff should bring a plan to the council with options and costs for regular maintenance and possible capital purchases.

Volunteers said they will continue ad-hoc mowing and care in the near term; staff committed to produce an action plan over the next several months to address maintenance and funding.