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Marlborough Cemetery Committee reviews maintenance, grant spending and plot request
Summary
At its May 21 meeting, the Marlborough Cemetery Committee reviewed ongoing maintenance and monument restoration, reported that $7,994 of an $8,000 Neglected Cemetery Grant was used, and discussed a family request to move a 1958 grave marker with the town offering limited financial assistance.
Kris Hudock, chair of the Town of Marlborough Cemetery Committee, convened the meeting at Marlborough Town Hall at 9:03 a.m. on May 21, 2026. The committee unanimously approved the minutes of April 16, 2026, and later adjourned at 10:05 a.m.
Sexton Zuri Lane-Griffore gave the committee an operational report noting cemetery sales were zero in April and May 2026 and burials numbered one in April and three in May. Zuri said two transfers were completed and the plot map was updated. Recent maintenance work included cleaning and restoring monuments, removing dirt piles and overgrowth, and repairs to gates and fences. A stone wall near Century was repaired using $2,000 in grant funds and $900 in town funds. Zuri said additional tree work remains and will require an arborist.
On unfinished business, members reported the useful period for the Neglected Cemetery Grant ended May 19, 2026; $7,994 of the $8,000 grant was used for intended work. The committee discussed Rules and Regulations for the town cemeteries (current revision January 2022) and affirmed that permitted plot personalization must remain within the one-foot area; items outside that area may be moved or removed and plot owners will be notified when possible.
The committee addressed a family request regarding Plot 3116, a 1958 grave that is not aligned with its marker. The estimated cost to move the marker is $1,686. The committee asked Sexton Zuri Lane-Griffore to contact the family to determine whether the town will cover a $300 foundation-moving cost while the family would pay the remaining balance.
Committee members also noted operational items: America 250 flags and materials have been received and will be placed soon; Zuri agreed his contact email should be added to the town website; cleanup work is continuing ahead of Memorial Day and volunteers will place flags on graves. John Larensen reported that the State of Connecticut Veterans Cemetery in Middletown is projected to reach capacity by 2027 and that the state has secured a site at CT Valley Hospital grounds that could provide about 1,500 four-by-four plots.
The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn by Jim Tillona, seconded by Joan Christmas, which passed unanimously. Sexton Zuri Lane-Griffore was assigned follow-up to contact the Plot 3116 family about cost-sharing and to finalize Memorial Day preparations.
