Town to fund stone gatepost repairs at Laurel Hill Cemetery; trustees recommend resurvey after deed gaps found

The Chester Cemetery Association on Aug. 3 recorded that the town will sponsor reconstruction of the stone gateposts at Laurel Hill Cemetery and has budgeted for an entrance identification sign, and trustees recommended resurveying cemetery boundaries after locating few deeds for burial plots.

The minutes, submitted by Secretary Lee Foster, say President Christine Nelson led a walking tour during which officers and trustees noted that few deeds have been found to prove ownership of burial plots. Trustees concluded that boundaries should be resurveyed and updated to clarify title and plot lines.

Why it matters: unclear deed records can complicate plot sales, interment approvals and long-term maintenance. The association flagged the issue as part of planned site repairs funded by the town, linking infrastructure investment to a need for updated property records.

Trustees recorded that the town is sponsoring reconstruction of the stone gateposts and has budgeted for an entrance sign; the minutes list those repairs as underway. The association did not record a formal vote but logged the town’s commitment and the trustees’ recommendation to pursue a boundary resurvey.

Next steps: the group identified the repairs as in progress and recommended initiating a resurvey to resolve ownership questions; the association set a business meeting for Oct. 6, 2025, at Town Hall to follow up. The minutes do not specify the resurvey timeline or funding source for boundary work.