Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select board weighs town takeover and fee changes for cemetery maintenance
Summary
Board members reviewed perpetual‑care funds (about $136,000 across three cemeteries) and recent mowing costs, discussed low association participation for some cemeteries and proposed exploring a single cemetery committee or town takeover, plus possible adjustments to lot sale/perpetual‑care pricing.
At its Feb. 19 meeting the North Haven Select Board spent substantial time on cemetery upkeep, perennial funding and options to stabilize maintenance across three island cemeteries.
Staff reported that perpetual‑care funds across the three cemeteries total a little over $136,000 and that last year’s mowing bill was about $2,650; board members said the town has increasingly subsidized mowing as association participation and dues have declined. Several members described one cemetery association (C View/Brown) as effectively inactive, with little volunteer leadership and some unpaid bills.
Members discussed two approaches: (1) encouraging the separate cemetery associations to coordinate and form a single umbrella cemetery association to streamline mailing, dues, mapping and mowing responsibilities; or (2) proposing that the town formally assume responsibility for all cemeteries and create one town cemetery committee to oversee operations. A participant suggested increasing lot‑sale prices and structuring perpetual‑care as a required portion of every lot sale so future buyers automatically fund ongoing care.
The board asked staff to research legal responsibilities (including recently expanded state responsibilities the town must follow for veterans’ graves) and to consult MMA legal about what formal steps and liabilities a town takeover would require. They agreed to continue the item at the first meeting in April to give staff time to check legal options, confirm Harold’s availability to continue mowing, and assess whether a single committee or a town‑run model is feasible.
No formal policy change was adopted; members directed staff to report back with options, legal guidance, and a clearer accounting of perpetual‑care receipts versus mowing and repair costs.
