Organizers ask town to coordinate Memorial Day flag placements at Oakland-area cemeteries

Rick Dumas addressed the Town Commission on May 12, 2026, on behalf of his brother-in-law, John Ward, to outline plans for a Memorial Day flag-placing ceremony at local cemeteries.

Dumas said volunteers plan to place small flags at identified veterans' gravesites at Tildenville and another Oakland cemetery beginning at 9 a.m. on Memorial Day and finishing by about 10 a.m. He described the effort as respectful and limited in scope, noting volunteers will replace old flags and leave extras near cemetery entrances for families.

Dumas told the commission a representative of one cemetery declined to give verbal permission to volunteers unless 'the city' was involved. He asked whether the commission could reach out and help coordinate with the cemetery manager. "It's only approved if the city's involved," Dumas said, summarizing the representative's condition.

Commissioners and staff discussed the question of what constitutes "city involvement," noting the town does not own the cemetery and that liability and property-control concerns may limit what the town can authorize. A commissioner said the town should clarify the cemetery manager's expectations. The commission agreed to attempt contact with the cemetery owner/manager and coordinate if permission is granted; in the interim the organizers said they would proceed at Tildenville Cemetery where they had permission.

Organizers told the commission they expect roughly 39'40 gravesites to be flagged and that the event will include a short opening speech and brief remarks by a council member at past events.