The Cemetery Commission, though often overlooked as a minor town board, has its fair share of duties when it comes to maintaining Harvard’s three cemeteries.
The commissioners often meet at Belle-vue Cemetery on Still River Road, either inside their office on the grounds, or outside in a circle of chairs by the entrance.
The commission met for the first time since July on Sept. 21, kicking off the fall with a chilly afternoon meeting outside. At the meeting, the commissioners discussed general upkeep and finances, as well as the issue of trespassing.
One big project the commission is currently working on is tree-planting. Commissioner John Lee explained in an interview with the Press that several old, large trees have been taken down and removed, or have fallen over in storms, in both Bellevue and the Town Center Cemetery, within the last couple of years. At the meeting, the commissioners discussed plans to replace the lost trees by planting new ones. However, they noted that this process is more complicated than expected with the drought and how, despite stump-grinding, old tree stumps and roots remain beneath the ground.
Trespassing at Bellevue Cemetery is another ongoing concern. The commissioners discussed past vandalism, as well as reports of drug dealing and trespassing. Although people are allowed to use the cemetery for parking during the day while walking nearby, no one is allowed in the cemetery after dark. The commission decided to contact the Harvard Police Department and request that an officer check that no one is trespassing after dark. “We’re going to tell [Chief] Denmark to periodically do a drive-through toward dusk, and go down and make sure there’s not a whole bunch of cars parked there,” Lee said, in hopes that doing so will deter future trespassing and vandalism.
Lee described the Cemetery Commission as an “oversight committee.” Lee works with members Ted Maxant and Bruce Dolimount to organize the maintenance of Bellevue Cemetery, the Shaker Cemetery, and the Town Center Cemetery. They also set the regulations for how the cemeteries will operate, and, because it is active, have a lot of administrative work to do regarding Bellevue. “There is a lot to do,” Lee said, “but it’s pretty well focused and routine.”
The Department of Public Works (DPW) also plays a role in the upkeep of the town’s cemeteries. “We contract out maintenance and day-to-day work to the DPW,” Lee said, explaining that this includes land maintenance such as mowing the lawn, and also burials.
Record-keeping: from paper to computer
One particularly important task that the Cemetery Commission is responsible for is record-keeping. “We have to keep records of who’s buried where,” Lee said. He explained that Bellevue is divided into lots that people can purchase, and that a deed is written so the commissioners, the town, and the lot owner have proof and know where the plot is located on the grounds. Lee said that until recently, this system was catalogued completely on paper, but that the commission worked to digitize the files with an electronic spreadsheet. “That was a big task,” he remarked, “and that has to be updated probably three or four times a year.”
The commission then keeps track of all of these numbered lots and whether they have been sold on maps of the cemetery grounds. Lee said the commission just updated the maps of Bellevue, but that a few sections remain unmarked. Each section of the cemetery is indicated with markers that are placed in the ground to label each plot of land. The commissioners will be ordering more markers and plotting out these sections, Lee explained. “That will take a while,” he said, adding that he hoped the new markers would arrive in time to use this fall and that they wouldn’t have to wait for spring to take on this project.
Lee also noted that the commission deals with finances such as contracting and paying for outside companies to do landscaping and fix fallen monuments. Rich Maiore, the Select Board liaison for the Cemetery Commission, wrote in an email to the Press that the commission also has to set a budget for each upcoming fiscal year, and that he helps to determine this amount. Beyond that, Maiore said, “My duties are occasionally checking in with [the Cemetery Commission] to determine if there are any issues or needs that it could use help with from the Select Board.”
