Madison County Fiscal Court — Nov. 25, 2025 — The fiscal court on Nov. 25 adopted two resolutions (2025‑113 and 2025‑114) authorizing removal and reinterment of graves at two abandoned cemeteries after the county concluded required notices and descendant outreach.

Preston (county counsel/staff) explained the legal mechanism under Kentucky law for abandoned cemeteries: a local government may petition to remove graves after publishing notice and either obtaining descendant affidavits or a court/fiscal-court determination that the graves have been abandoned, then seeking a state permit from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (Vital Statistics) under KRS 381.755 and 901 KAR 5090.

Preston said Begley Properties LLC, the current or former owner, requested the action. He told the court the Hockaday Cemetery parcel contains 50 graves (two marked, 48 unmarked) and the Crigler Cemetery parcel contains 10 graves (one marked, nine unmarked). He described additional research and outreach by Chase Thomas of Oldham Roberts Powell Funeral Home, who assisted in identifying descendants. Preston said three Hockaday descendants and three Crigler descendants have expressed that the proposed reinterment is appropriate and that the funeral home posted notices on local funeral‑home pages to seek other descendants; he also noted an additional descendant contacted the funeral director shortly before the meeting indicating assent.

The resolutions state that 60 days had passed since the initial newspaper notice (published in the Richmond Register from 07/05/2025 through 07/26/2025) and that the graves had been unattended for at least 10 years prior to the resolutions. Each resolution directs that any removed remains be reinterred at a suitable cemetery at the expense of the property owner and that the county follow the procedures in the administrative regulation governing such removals. The court moved, seconded and approved each resolution by roll call.

Preston and others said the county will work with a licensed funeral director to perform removals and reinterment, invite clergy and any descendants who wish to attend, and document the reinterments for historical records.