Resident addresses Greenfield council on cemetery issues

The Greenfield Village Council will examine ordinances regarding the Greenfield Cemetery after an area woman asked that the city not force her to remove a memorial bench from her son's grave site. 

Tracy Miller addressed council during their regular meeting Tuesday after she had received a letter from Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop that stated she needed to remove the bench from the cemetery where it is installed at her son's grave because it was in violation of the village's ordinance. 

Bishop told council that she had sent letters to each person who had placed a bench in the cemetery that was in violation of the ordinance after receiving complaints about some benches. 

"I didn't feel that I had the right to send a letter to just one person if there was more than one bench that was in violation," Bishop said. 

Council President Betty Jackman said that part of the problem was because the benches make it difficult for the sites to be mowed, trimmed and maintained. 

According to Bishop, the only benches that are permitted in the cemetery must be on permanent installations and be cement or stone in nature, as it is written in the ordinance. 

Miller passed around photos of the wood and wrought iron bench and said that she maintains the grave site and the bench. Each year, she said, she varnishes and repaints it, and that she doesn't want to see it moved because it is a memorial bench that was installed even before her son's monument was erected. 

Miller's voice became emotional when she described spending time at grave site of her son, Casey, who died in 2008, at the age of 18. 

"I spend a great deal of time down there, sitting, reading," Miller said. "His friends will gather there, and one of his friends brings his guitar and will play Casey's favorite songs. A concrete bench is not something you can sit on for a while. I take great care of my son's spot."

Miller said that her plot is located toward the back of the cemetery and there is not always a lot of grass. She said that she and her family have put down mulch and sod and have even mowed the grass themselves. 

Miller told council that she had asked a former city official if installing a bench would be permitted, and she was told that it was, as long as it was kept in repair and looked nice. 

Jackman said that last year the village went through and upgraded the ordinance because the previous one was very outdated. She said that this may be something that they needed to address. 

"It looks very nice, and it's very important to me that it stay there," Miller said. 

Council member Brenda Losey suggested that the city look into modifying the ordinance so that if people choose to install a bench that they become responsible for all the maintenance of the plot, so that it would not interfere with the village's maintenance and mowing. Jackman said that she would set an ordinance committee meeting and would let Miller know when they would meet. 

"I'm sorry, and I know it's a touchy subject for a lot of people. We all do," Jackman said. 

"I'd just hate to have to get rid of his memorial bench," Miller said.  

Following public comments, Bishop gave her city manager's report and told council that she suggested waiting to do further physical studies on Greenfield's sewer system until Phase II of the treatment plant had been completed and existing studies further examined. 

"Preliminary work has been stated on (the) WWTP Phase II project. Intense discussions have been ongoing regarding not obligating the citizens of Greenfield beyond what has already been agreed upon in this contract," Bishop said. "EPA is requiring an action plan, and Brian Smith and I both agree that if we are not careful, an action plan could turn into findings and orders. There are studies lying around here in offices that have been done in previous years. It is our intention to study those documents, put together an implementation plan of procedures that have not been completed and carry out as many of those procedures as our budget will allow. This is an attempt to cut down on the infiltration into our sewer system. I do not believe we should be doing any more studies until Phase II is done and all previously agreed upon studies are complete."

In other business: 

• Council voted 4-0 to excuse the absence of council member Bob Bergstrom, who is out of state on family matters. 

• Council member William Redenbaugh reported to council on the Paint Creek Joint Fire and EMS District. He said that the issue of beginning to charge for EMS runs outside the district was still being reviewed by legal counsel, and that the matter would move forward soon. Redenbaugh said that district representatives had met with architects to examine the possibility of expanding their facilities. Redenbaugh said that they were only in beginning stages and that any expansion would be part of a long-term plan, but, "You have to get started somewhere. Two years ago, we made a promise to taxpayers, that we would do things within our means. My compliments to all the folks in the fire district. They are doing a great job." 

• Bishop reported that blacktopping on South Sixth Street beginning at Jefferson Street, and going to McKell Street, will begin soon. The lowest bid received was from Gradeco for $47,502 and will include the patching of the area of the collapsed storm sewer at McKell Street and Fourth Street. 

• The income tax office, according to Bishop, is reporting that taxes are up $6,000 for the month and $2,100 for the year. 

• Council voted 4-0 on its third reading to pass an ordinance to authorize the village to enter into a farm leave agreement with John Kinzer Jr. for 175.70 acres of land located in the Greenfield Industrial Park. 

• Council voted 4-0 on its third reading to pass an ordinance granting the director of the Ohio Department of Transportation to maintain state highways, apply standard longitudinal pavement markings and erect regulatory and warning signs on state highways inside the village corporation and give consent of the village to the plowing of snow and use of abrasives for ice control. The ordinance became necessary after Greenfield went from city to village status.