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Belleville Cemetery Association seeks $2,000 to stabilize 45 historic gravestones
Summary
The Belleville Cemetery Association requested $2,000 to repair about 45 gravestones identified as "on life support" in the 18th- and 19th-century Greystone section; the association said it had identified ~90 stones in need and proposed addressing the most critical 45 this year.
The Belleville Cemetery Association asked the committee for a $2,000 grant to restore 45 gravestones in the Greystone section that the presenter said are in critical condition.
Bloc Van Soa, president of the association, told the committee the cemetery dates to 1720 and that the oldest identifiable stone is from 1727. He said volunteers and an experienced conservator identified approximately 90 stones in need of attention and that the association was asking this year for funding to address the most critical 45 "life support" stones.
Lee Woodward, who identified himself as an experienced gravestone repairer, described standard on-site repair techniques (leveling, shoring, setting compound and tripod lifts) and said in many cases the work is manual and straightforward but can reveal more complex problems when digging finds broken bases underground.
Committee members discussed whether the association should seek funds for all identified stones; the presenter said a phased approach made sense given budget uncertainty and the associations desire to demonstrate success before returning for additional funds.
The committee did not vote; members said they would consider the request at committee deliberations.
