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Mount Comfort maintenance shortfall puts deed and budgets in debate among Hancock County trustees
Summary
Trustees learned a maintenance trust for Mount Comfort Cemetery has run out, revealing the deed is recorded to the county and leaving trustees to weigh whether the township should accept ownership, ask the county to pay, or arrange a cost-sharing plan; members also reviewed GPR results and DNR cleaning rules.
Trustees at a Hancock County cemetery commission meeting said a trust that had paid for upkeep at Mount Comfort Cemetery is exhausted, and deed records show ownership is recorded to the county — prompting debate over who should pay for future maintenance.
The commission was told that an earlier trustee had relied on a trust to pay for mowing and repairs but that the trust funds are now gone. "The deed is dated to the county, not the township," the speaker said when describing title research, and added, "I can't spend township money on a county asset," underscoring the immediate budgetary constraint facing trustees.
Why it matters: If the township assumes ownership, trustees warned their budget will be tight; if the county retains title, the county would need to fund maintenance or reimburse the township for services. Commissioners discussed three options: transfer deed to the township, have the county formally assume maintenance and pay the contractor, or pursue a shared-cost arrangement while the commission explores deed transfer at the county commissioners' meeting.
Operational details and budget context were discussed in the meeting. Trustees said routine mowing for smaller township cemeteries runs on a weekly schedule and that one contractor charges roughly $80–$100 per mowing for different sites; for Mount Comfort the contractor estimated about 10 mowings per season, creating a recurring cost that trustees said their current budget would struggle to absorb without additional funding.
The commission also reviewed related field work: members discussed plans to reset large monuments at Mount Carmel and finish work in Sugar Creek when ground conditions improve, and volunteers reported finishing a large number of stones last year (one volunteer tallied about 123 stones completed). Trustees emphasized careful use of equipment and coordination with a local monument company to protect lawn and stone bases when lifting heavy markers.
Separately, the commission reviewed a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) report for Fish cemetery. The invoice for the contractor was $650; the commission reported splitting the cost with the Fish family and paying $325. Trustees expressed uncertainty about the scope of the GPR and whether it matched prior, more expensive surveys, and suggested placing follow-up documentation on a future agenda.
Regulatory note: The commission relayed a message from Jamie Reer, who oversees the cemetery registry at the Department of Natural Resources, that anyone performing stone cleaning should have DNR permission. Trustees discussed the administrative burden of individual approvals and the potential benefit of obtaining a blanket approval listing commission trustees and authorized volunteers to reduce repetitive paperwork.
What happened procedurally: A motion to accept the November minutes was made and seconded and carried. Trustees set their next meeting for April 6 (the Monday after Easter) and decided to delay election of officers until more members can attend. The meeting concluded after Kim moved to adjourn and Janelle seconded.
The commission said it will raise the Mount Comfort deed question at the county commissioners' meeting to seek clarity about county willingness to assume maintenance or transfer title; trustees flagged the item for follow-up at the next commission meeting.
