Readfield sexton, committee discuss cemetery care and possible digitization project

Karen, Readfield’s transfer-station manager who also serves as sexton, told the select board the cemetery maintenance crew has been doing excellent work and that staff are preparing sites for Memorial Day. Karen said volunteers and middle-school students helped during the Day of Caring and thanked other staff who assisted.

On a needed tree near a cemetery, Karen said she has arranged for Andrew Pandree to remove the problem tree before the end of the fiscal year and described plans to replace some larger species with smaller ornamentals such as hawthorn to avoid future damage to headstones. She added the committee is seeking assistance from the Torsy Memorial Church to offset replacement costs and that Dig Safe will be consulted before plantings.

Karen also raised a personnel clarification: when she performs sexton duties she said she clocks out of transfer-station hours and works under the sexton stipend rather than performing both duties simultaneously. She told the board this is not “double dipping” and described how the department handles occasional overlaps.

Rebecca Lambert, a candidate for an unopposed select-board seat, has expressed interest in supporting a project to digitize the town’s cemetery plots, Karen said. Karen noted the idea would require funding and suggested it could be a goal for the board’s upcoming retreat; committee members said making records more accessible would help families who live outside Readfield.

Why it matters: Cemetery care affects historic resources and families’ access to burial records; digitization could increase public access but will require staff time and funding.

What’s next: The cemetery committee will continue maintenance and planning, pursue possible outside funding for plantings, and follow up on the digitization concept if the board elects to prioritize it in a future planning session.