Exit Public Cemetery District urges support for Measure O to fund cemetery upkeep

Lori Reinbeck and Erica Pine, representing the Exit Public Cemetery District, urged the Tulare County Board of Supervisors to back Measure O, a local assessment the district plans to put before voters in June to fund cemetery maintenance and expansion.

Reinbeck told the board the district oversees three pioneer cemeteries — Deep Creek in Farmersville, Hamilton north-east of Exeter, and the Exit Public Cemetery — and that the district has faced equipment failures and a $110,000 note tied to development of sections 9 and 10 to open new plots. She said community volunteers and partner organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution have helped restore headstones and maintain grounds but that rising maintenance, water and infrastructure costs require a stable revenue source.

"Measure O is a modest assessment to help our communities care for our cemeteries today and for generations to come," Reinbeck said, describing planned uses including long-term maintenance, acquiring land for future burial plots, and repairing irrigation systems and roads.

She outlined the district's local fundraising plans, including a July poker fundraiser hosted by the Eagles Lodge and an October golf tournament with major hole-in-one prizes. The district also highlighted recent volunteer work that raised visibility and helped with basic upkeep.

The board did not take action on Measure O during the meeting. The public comment was part of the meeting's general public-comment period; board members responded with thanks for the volunteers' work and encouragement to contact the office with additional questions.