Lay Me Down to Rest: Episode 2 Clarksville Cemetery - From the Williams County Public Library

Clarksville Cemetery in Williams County on Find A Grave

Problems continue with the ongoing operation of Maple Grove Cemetery in Portage County, Ohio

Sharing from the Record-Courier in Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio this latest story from reporter Diane Smith:

Maple Grove Cemetery in Portage County, Ohio will suffer from budget cuts due to nearby Grandview Memorial Park that the township has assumed responsibility for in recent months.  

First, for better understanding, it helps to learn more about what constitutes a Union Cemetery:

"759.27 Union of municipal corporations and townships for cemetery purposes."

"The legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, or of one or more municipal corporations and the boards of township trustees of one or more townships, when conveniently located for that purpose, may unite in the establishment and management of a cemetery, by the purchase or appropriation of land therefor not exceeding one hundred acres, to be paid for as provided by section 759.30 of the Revised Code."
Effective Date: 10-01-1953 .

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"759.341 Union cemetery district."

"The legislative authority of each municipal corporation and the board of township trustees of each township that has united in the establishment and management of a cemetery under section 759.27 of the Revised Code, by an affirmative vote of a majority of each legislative authority and board, may form a union cemetery district comprised of all of the territory within the united municipal corporation and township for the purpose of levying taxes within the territory of the district for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery. The legislative authority and board, acting jointly, shall constitute the taxing authority of the union cemetery district. Notwithstanding sections 759.37, 5705.19, and 5705.191 of the Revised Code, in order to adopt a resolution to levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation within the district, a majority of the members of each legislative authority and board of township trustees constituting the taxing authority must vote in favor of the resolution. In all other matters, when the legislative authority and board are acting jointly as the taxing authority of the union cemetery district, each member of the legislative authority and board shall have one vote as described in section 759.37 of the Revised Code."

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Excerpt from the story.:

"This summer, the township asked the city to dissolve the union cemetery agreement, something that can't happen unless both sides agree.

The township cited financial constraints, noting that it also now operates Grandview Cemetery. 

Since then, city and township officials have met but haven't come to an agreement, except to explore cost-saving measures."

Also, it is worth noting that with this situation again we see an example of how there can be a negative "trickle down" effect when a township assumes responsibility for a for-profit cemetery, which Grandview Cemetery was, after the departure of the previous owners who were prosecuted because they committed crimes that directly caused adverse consequences for the cemetery and those who own lots in them.  

The cemetery then becomes one without a legal new owner. In other words it becomes abandoned.  

So, thus in Ohio, we can have an active yet abandoned cemetery.  Most of us might think of abandoned cemeteries as being those that have not had a burial in over 25 years, and are in the inactive status because of it.  We can see that may not always be the case.  

The Ohio Revised Code does not have in place a provision that would ease hardships that arise when these situations occur and the cemetery essentially becomes abandoned and orphaned if the township, or other type of municipality where it is located, does not agree in a timely manner to assume ownership and responsibility for it and its routine care. When they do ultimately agree to accept responsibility, the problems and expenses have greatly increased. 

As we can see, often with these types of disputes between two entities such as a town and a township regarding the responsibility and care of two close proximity cemeteries, in the end, at least one of those cemeteries will suffer.  

We see in this case, it is a scramble to resolve a financial situation by placing budget cuts on one cemetery resulting in a reduction of its staff in order to operate both cemeteries.  This move will in turn affect the ongoing maintenance of that cemetery in a negative manner.