Clarkston council, volunteers race to ready cemetery for Memorial Day amid equipment and headstone repair needs

Council members and volunteers detailed multiple maintenance needs at the Clarkston cemetery during the May 6 meeting, saying work is needed before Memorial Day.

Paul Linton, who spoke to the council about cemetery upkeep, said the cemetery has "about, I would say, 10 headstones that are cracked" and identified four unmarked graves that lack markers. Linton said he had contacted James (a family stone-setting company) about discounted repairs and suggested limited town assistance for very old markers where no family can be located.

Jerry Godfrey, a longtime worker at the cemetery, described equipment limitations for the steep south hill and urged use of the John Deere or the walker mower for steep areas. "John Deere is the only safe one to go," Godfrey said, explaining that smaller push mowers and the yellow unit cannot make it up the hill. Godfrey also recommended edging around headstones three weeks before Memorial Day to reduce upkeep during the holiday week.

Council members discussed locating a missing edger and possibly sharing equipment between the park and cemetery. They asked Canyon Landscaping to check for sprinkler-system schematics installed in 2023 so crews avoid buried irrigation lines. Members also said new sod needs fertilizer and that additional sod should be ordered to replace washed-out areas.

Next steps: Council agreed to provide a shed key to a volunteer (Casey Anderson), look for missing equipment, fix a small water leak within about a week, and pursue headstone repairs and a modest sod/fertilizer purchase to improve the cemetery ahead of Memorial Day.