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Resident seeks town help to place Memorial Day flags at local cemeteries; commission to contact cemetery owner
Summary
A resident organizer asked the commission to allow volunteers to place flags at veterans' graves on Memorial Day and said one cemetery’s management had requested city involvement for access; the commission agreed to contact owners and coordinate details.
Rick Dumas (introduced to the commission and speaking on behalf of his brother-in-law John Ward) presented a plan to place flags at identified veterans’ graves in local cemeteries on Memorial Day morning. Dumas said volunteers have placed flags in prior years at the Oakland/Tildenville cemetery, and that one cemetery’s management has not given verbal permission unless the city is involved.
Commissioners and staff discussed liability and ownership: town staff reminded the body that neither cemetery is owned by the Town of Oakland and said contacting the cemetery owner/manager is appropriate before volunteers enter private property. The commission agreed staff should reach out to the cemetery representative to clarify what "city involvement" would mean and to document permission. Dumas said the event would start at 9 a.m. on Memorial Day, intended to finish by 10 a.m., and estimated about 40 gravesites per cemetery (roughly 80 total) might receive flags.
Why it matters: Volunteers placing flags on veterans’ graves is a community-led memorial activity; because the cemeteries are privately owned, the commission must confirm permission and evaluate liability before formally endorsing or participating. Commissioners asked staff to obtain the cemetery contact information and follow up with the organizer.
Next steps: Staff will attempt to contact the cemetery owner/manager and report back to the organizer and the commission; Dumas said he would provide contact details if needed.
