Middletown Forum : Middletown Cemetery Vault

Middletown Cemetery Vault : Mike .... Thank you for this...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:39:02 +0000

Author: da120757
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 21 2011 at 8:39am

Mike ....

Thank you for this last post and Yes I did find out at the Last Board Meeting that Steve Bohannon and his wife did plant the flowers in the front flower bed. Thank you Steve for taking care of this they look very nice.

Middletown Cemetery Vault : da120757 wrote:In May of...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:28:17 +0000

Author: Mike_Presta
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 8:28pm

da120757 wrote:

In May of this year, two of the board members with donations from area businesses planted flowers and laid mulch at the cemetery to help beautify it for Memorial Day Weekend and one of the Board Members took charge of the Bright Spot Planters. Last Sunday I went to the Cemetery to Lock the gate and Noticed that someone has planted new flowers in the front flower beds at the cemetery. They look beautiful and I would like to say thank you to whomever did this. It is a bright spot...

Deb Morrison, Middletown Cemetery Board Member

On Monday,October 10, I was driving on First Avenue about 6:15 p. m. on my way to ameet-and-greet at a local church. As Ipassed the cemetery, there were two people that appeared to be tending theflower beds and parked a few feet away was a Bohannon Roofing truck.

I cannotswear that the people tending the beds were from Bohannon, but it certainlyappeared to be so.

Middletown Cemetery Vault : Let the Board do their Job. They...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:12:47 +0000

Author: ground swat
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 7:12pm

Let the Board do their Job. They got handed a mess which the city allowed. 30 some odd post about the Progress for this historical site----------- what does it take to keep everyone happy? Is this a branch of Facebook??? Who would want to get involved locally in this Monkey business of the past?

Middletown Cemetery Vault : I took no offense I just wanted...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:45:13 +0000

Author: DuaneGordon
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 1:45pm

I took no offense I just wanted to remind those debating this that some groups and some people in the community have stepped up and helped out when needed.

Although I must dissassociate with you now that I know you have Ole Miss contamination, since I'm a proud Mississippi State Bulldog! I couldn't even finish my breakfast Sunday when I saw that kid with the Go Rebs button on his shirt in the Journal's Parade insert magazine

Middletown Cemetery Vault : Mr. Gordon, I assuredly meant...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:17:02 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 11:17am

Mr. Gordon, I assuredly meant no offense, and meant it in a most constructive manner. I sat on two Fortune 25 Foundation Boards that gave to universities and higher education, so my observation from reading Ms. Morrison's comments was indeed, there would be benefit of having a professional such as yourself contribute if the city was not. I commend your efforts and glad that the money is there for the repairs. I also enjoyed reading about your background, having a few 'ol Miss' family members, besides UVa, my favorite campus in the country is U of Miss; someday we must chat about the events that brought you to Middletown. Usually, a southerner stops the northern descent no further than Lexington (LOL).

Middletown Cemetery Vault : For the record, acclaro, I have...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:52:18 +0000

Author: DuaneGordon
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 10:52am

For the record, acclaro, I have advised members of the Cemetery Board on multiple occassions since its creation on methods and strategies to raise money for the cemetery. Since the Community Foundation made the $15,000 challenge grant to help pay for the vault repair if they could raise the balance of funding necessary to do the stone work, I have always provided what help I could when they asked. Of course, they did meet the match several weeks ago thanks to a very generous bequest and the work on the vault stonework is now underway.

Middletown Cemetery Vault : acclaro..... "What an irony,...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:15:21 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 20 2011 at 6:15am

acclaro.....

"What an irony, the city smacks city councilman AJ Smith about the tax ordinance, and the Board is having to raise money for maintenance the city refused to do, based upon violating its own ordinance"

Isn't it Leslie Eugene Landens job as Law DIErector to remind the city manager and council that they are in violation of city ordinances? If so, why isn't Leslie doing it other than the fear that Gilleland might hit him on the nose with a wet newspaper and not give him his doggie treat for a job well done?

Middletown Cemetery Vault : Ms. Morrison, do I understand...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:14:39 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 19 2011 at 11:14pm

Ms. Morrison, do I understand this correctly, that you are stating that in spite of a city ordinance that the cemetary will be maintained to certain standards, which I understood the city failed to meet, the city is not willing to fund any dollars into this project, and having the cemetry Board raise the funds? And if so, why is the cemetray Board doing what the city ordinance mandates the city do? Gee, maybe Duane Gordon wou;d lend a hand for fund raising after the "conductor" effort has run its course.

I can see why a business might be hesitant to contribute if the city isn't puttting any money into this, and adhering to the ordinance. What an irony, the city smacks city councilman AJ Smith about the tax ordinance, and the Board is having to raise money for maintenance the city refused to do, based upon violating its own ordinance.

Too much to take in the town.

Middletown Cemetery Vault : I do not think it matters at this...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:01:44 +0000

Author: da120757
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 19 2011 at 10:01pm

I do not think it matters at this point who is in control of the Cemetery (the Parks Department or Public Works) the point here and now as in the past is that the City refuses to put any money into the cemetery, hence the efforts of the Cemetery Board to raise the funds to get the Vault and some of the other work completed in the Cemetery. I do not know what you are trying to do with keeping your fight with the city out in the spotlight. I do know that you are making it difficult for us to get the funding that we will need to finish the vault. I do not know how else to say it to you Vivian, but geez back off, and let the board do their business. We are getting things done, am I right? We have workers on the Vault, and we have workers on the Headstones. I know that all of this is not happening as fast as you think it should but give us time to get things accomplished.

Middletown Cemetery Vault : October 19, 2011Middletown Cemetery...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:51:54 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 4151
Posted: Oct 19 2011 at 9:51am

October 19, 2011

Middletown Cemetery Board

    In the October 28, 1947 deed from the Middletown Cemetery Association to the City of Middletown states that the Middletown Cemetery would be under the Park Department and the records would be held by the Engineers Office.

Who is responsible for the care of the Middletown Cemetery?

    That has been the million dollar question that really needed to be answered.
Over the years I have discussed this fact with numerous city officials and also the Park Board members since the Middletown Cemetery operates under Park Rules.
    This year the Board approved the Middletown Cemetery Tombstone Restoration Project from a grant approved and submitted by the Park Board.

    I have been told for 8 years that the cemetery was the responsibility of Public Works however I can find NO documentation that states the responsibility of the cemetery was ever removed from the Parks Dept. So it seems that the Middletown Cemetery should have been included in the Parks Board budget for years.
    Please remember that in 1947 the Parks Department mowed their own grass and cared for only a few parks plus the 3 swimming pools. My research shows that over the years the cemetery was just simply ignored by the Parks Dept. Later when the mowing was taken over by the Public Works Dept the cemetery was included. As the city added more parks the care and needs of the cemetery went to the bottom of the list and was once more simply ignored.
    Over the years numerous volunteer groups stepped up and cleaned the cemetery however the city did not continue the maintenance and soon the cemetery reverted back to its unsightly condition.
    While working at the cemetery family members told me that for years they would bring their mowers to the cemetery to cut the grass on family gravesites because the city refused to care for the property.
    So here we are 60 years later still trying to get the City of Middletown to be responsible and take care of the Middletown Cemetery.

RESEARCH

Page 21

Middletown Park Board Meeting
Gardner-Richardson Employment Office
West Central Avenue, Middletown, Ohio
April 27, 1948    6:30 p.m.

Present; Ivo Beedle, R. C. Dowling, Walter Geckeler, Ross Kramer

    This meeting was called by Ivo Beedle who has been absent from the city for several weeks and found it necessary to make decisions on several urgent matters.
    A letter from Bob Russell that had been forwarded by the Police Chief was read and discussed. Mr. Russell objected to the transfer of the dance at Sunset Tennis Court to the new Basketball court. Mr. Dowling offered to talk to Mr. Russell about the matter.
    The purchase of fencing that Matt Ryan had been authorized to buy was questioned and Ivo was to contact Matt Ryan in regard to same.
    Ross Kramer asked for a ruling on what procedure should be followed in handling Swimming Pool Admission money during the summer months. Mr. Beedle will contact the city manager.
    Mr. Dowling said that he had been contacted in regard to the Park Board taking over the job of grass cutting at the Middletown Cemetery. The Board decided it would be necessary to have a very substantial budget increase if this is to be done.
    Mr. Beedle was authorized to see Mr. Pochel in regard to making plans to build a comfort station at Barnitz Field. This comfort station is to include two toilets for ladies, two toilets for men plus one urinal, two drinking fountains, and lighted and in keeping with the surroundings.
    Mr. Beedle is to check with Mr. Pochel in regard to the paint bids for Sunset Pool.
    The Park Board decided to accept the bid of $300.00 of Stella Beatty for the Sunset Pool lunch stand for the summer season and the bid of Mrs. Kenner of $100.00 per summer season for the lunch stand at Douglas Pool. The Park Board insists that the proprietors of each lunch stand keep the grounds clean around each lunch stand.

Meeting Adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Signed: R. C. Dowling, Secretary

Attested: Ivo Beedle, President

Page 25

Middletown Park Board Meeting
Gardner-Richardson Employment Office
West Central Avenue, Middletown, Ohio
July 26, 1948    7:00 p.m.

Present; Ivo Beedle, R. C. Dowling, Robert Hayes, Ross Kramer

    Ivo Beedle made a motion that the Park Board abandon the Supervised Recreation activities for the season on Friday July 30, 1948, but to continue operating the three Swimming Pools until about September 1m 1948, and that the maintenance crew of Matt Ryan be reduced from 4 men to 2 men.
    This action was made mandatory due to lack of funds. After a full discussion of the conditions which face the Board it was finally decided that the best solution of the problem was to offer the youngsters the present pool facilities. The present budget did not provide for any additional funds over that of a year ago and since materials and labor costs have increased the program must be curtailed.
    The above motion was seconded by R. C. Dowling and was unanimously approved by all members of the Park Board.
    It was also decided that it was necessary to give up the care of the Middletown Cemetery after having spent almost 1000 hours of labor there.
    Mr. Beedle agreed to meet Mr. Geckeler and decide what part of the Recreation Program could be maintained by him alone.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Signed: R. C. Dowling, Secretary

Attest: Ivo Beedle, President