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After vandalism at Old Memphis Cemetery, commissioners move to fund fencing and security
Summary
Following discovery of vandalism at Old Memphis Cemetery, commissioners and community volunteers organized a May 23 cleanup. The board moved to allocate $100,000 from a commissioner discretionary fund for fencing, lighting and security measures and directed staff to notify the Florida Department of Financial Services as required by statute.
Manatee County commissioners voted May 19 to allocate up to $100,000 from a commissioner discretionary fund for immediate security and restoration work at Old Memphis Cemetery in Palmetto following community reports of vandalism.
Commissioner Amanda Ballard reported the cemetery had been damaged and that local volunteers and firms had already stepped forward to help with repairs. The proposed spending is planned to fund perimeter fencing, security cameras and other measures to protect grave markers and vaults; the county attorney advised that cameras and other systems must comply with state records and retention rules.
Commissioner Ballard said a large community cleanup would take place May 23 and listed volunteer and in-kind commitments including a contractor to replace vault lids at no charge and funeral-industry donations to repair broken headstones. The board also heard public comments from residents and civil-rights leaders who described the cemetery as a historically Black burial ground and urged that the response include long-term preservation and monitoring.
Legal and procedural follow-up: county counsel and staff were directed to notify the Florida Department of Financial Services under section 97.2.84 of state law, which the county attorney said is required when the county intervenes in neglected or abandoned cemeteries. Commissioners also asked staff to research 1988-era county ordinances and resolutions that set out policy for neglected-cemetery funding and advisory committees; one 1988 resolution encouraged private funding as the primary source, and staff will return with options to amend or repeal legacy language if the board wants a different policy.
What happens next: property-management crews and the offender-work program will continue routine mowing and maintenance; county staff will produce an annual maintenance plan for the board; staff will return with legal research on the 1988 ordinances and with estimates and procurement options for fencing and monitoring systems. Donations received that exceed costs will be returned or earmarked consistent with donor instructions.
Sources: Commissioner item, community testimony and staff remarks during the Manatee County Board meeting, May 19, 2026.
