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Cemetery commission asks city to supply gravel as volunteers prepare to restore dozens of headstones
Summary
The Mount Vernon Cemetery Commission told the council volunteers trained by conservator John Haidider are prepared to level and reset 30 gravestones and asked the city to provide CA‑6 gravel; the commission said it lacks funding to hire a contractor to stabilize 10 heavier monuments and has sought $2,700 for contractor training.
Mary Evans, chair of the Cemetery Commission, told the council volunteers trained by conservator John Haidider are prepared to repair and reset 30 gravestones that Haidider identified as needing restoration. "The cemetery commission and volunteers were trained on July 25 by Haidider at a three‑day hands‑on workshop held in the cemetery," Evans said, and the commission has formed four volunteer teams who have purchased their own equipment.
Tim Lor, who the commission identified as leading the volunteer restoration project, said the group has completed a small number of repairs and will do additional training before attempting larger work. "We've started out small ... We'll have some training before we do anything much larger, but I feel quite comfortable that what we're doing now can be done and training other people," Lor said, adding he will "certainly focus on the safety part."
Evans said one public notice listed 30 gravestones identified by Haidider and noted the public notice included an estimated restoration cost (the notice printed the figure as "5,65" in the packet; the amount was not fully legible in the meeting materials). The commission asked only that the city furnish CA‑6 gravel needed to level the stones; the commission will continue to rely on volunteer labor for the lighter work.
A second public notice listed 10 gravestones the commission described as weighing more than 3,000 pounds and leaning dangerously. Evans said the commission requested $2,700 to hire Pam Krauss, owner of the Monttoello Monument Company, to restore those larger stones and to train commission members and volunteers in the safe handling of heavy monuments. "Krauss is willing to train the commission members and volunteers how to restore those large gravestones," Evans said; she added the commission has been informed there is not funding for that work at this time and that the notice was published in anticipation of future funding.
The council did not take immediate action to allocate funds during the meeting. The commission representatives said volunteers will continue the restoration work they can perform and will return if funding becomes available for the heavier stones.
Next steps: the Cemetery Commission and staff will continue to seek funding and training options; the commission requested the city supply CA‑6 gravel for leveling work.
