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Pioneer Cemetery
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Bobbie View Drop Down
MUSA Citizen
MUSA Citizen


Joined: Jun 05 2009
Location: Middletown
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Points: 288 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bobbie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 9:07am

Landen is an expert at cover up.  They say it would take 65k to repair - but it would not have taken that much money if they had been doing there work all along.  That is there fault.  So I am assuming they are admitting they had not been taking care of the work for years?  Or did the cemetary just deteriorate overnight. 

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What A City View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
MUSA Resident


Joined: Nov 06 2009
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Points: 115 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote What A City Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 7:12am
I am a friend of Mr. Wills. I read the letter before he mailed it to Cleveland. The letter referred the hearing personel to this site to view the before and after pictures taken at the cemetery by Ms. Moon and her volunteers. The letter made reference to the entrance where there was once mulch and landscaping and that it had all been removed by the city and planted in grass because the city didn't have time to maintain it. The letter asked why the city couldn't let the people who put the landscaping in- aka Ms. Moon's group maintain it. That wasn't addressed in Ms. Heffner's article either.
Mr. Landen must have read the letter wrong concerning the gravel roads. We are all aware the cemetery has gravel roads and has had for years. The letter stated that the gravel on the roads was covering some of the grave markers based on the one picture taken by Ms. Moon's group. I don't know wher Mr. Landen comes up with stating the roads are gravel. That's not the issue nor what was said. It is the COVERING OF THE MARKERS BY THE GRAVEL  that is the issue according to Mr. WiIls' letter.
 
Ms. Heffner's article also states that Ron Phelps stated that the city is spending 10 to 15 thou per year on ground maintenance, repairs and "other clean up. Is this work actually being done, other than cutting the grass. Is there trimming around the markers being done? What about clearing the fenceline?
 
If the hearing people would just observe the pictures on this site,. it would answer alot of the complaint questions and reveal that Landen is not above board on his comments.
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TANGO View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Mar 21 2010
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Points: 72 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TANGO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 6:20am
It is the city responsibility to maintain the cemetery just like the rest of cities do the state. Council has let this issue get out of control.

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
MUSA Council
MUSA Council


Joined: May 16 2008
Location: Middletown, Ohi
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Points: 4187 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 5:51am

Public works Director Dave Duritsch said the vault, which serves as storage at the cemetery, needs about $65,000 in repairs. The city received a $15,000 grant from the Middletown Community Foundation to make repairs, but has not been able to obtain more funding for the restoration.

Well it seems Mr. Dave has been reeeeeally busy since he has forgotten to file the grants for the vault at the cemetery.

Hummm...Didn't this same office just file $80,000 in grants for the new Armbruster Park?
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Mtown View Drop Down
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Joined: Sep 09 2010
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Points: 63 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mtown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 1:20am
Who really cares about the old cemetery. If there are people that have descendants buried there let them take care of the cemetery. Why do they expect the taxpayers to take care of their family grave sites?
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409 View Drop Down
Prominent MUSA Citizen
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Joined: Mar 27 2009
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Points: 1014 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 409 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 16 2010 at 11:43pm
From the MJ:

Resident seeks repairs for Middletown Cemetery

By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 10:00 PM Thursday, December 16, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — A Middletown resident has filed a complaint with the state regarding the condition of Middletown Cemetery.

Two generations of Terry Scott Wills’ family is buried in the cemetery off of First Avenue. Once known as Pioneer Cemetery, Wills said he’s concerned the city has allowed the site to deteriorate. He recently filed a complaint with the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission in an attempt to get the city to take action.

“(It’s) unacceptable in my viewpoint and, as I understand it, the city is legally responsible for the care of the cemetery,” Wills wrote to the commission.

The complaint requests the city make repairs to the mausoleum — which has been covered with a blue tarp for the past several years — repair the fences and place gravel on the roads. Wills said he would like to extend cemetery hours past 3 p.m. on weekdays and include weekend visiting time, according to the complaint.

Wills did not return calls seeking comment.

Les Landen, city law director, said it is the city’s position that the cemetery is being maintained “in a manner consistent with (the city’s) financial capabilities” and within guidelines outlined by the state cemetery commission.

According to Ron Phelps, city public works superintendent, $10,000 to $15,000 is spent annual to maintain Middletown Cemetery. Those costs include grounds maintenance, repairs and other clean up.

Public works Director Dave Duritsch said the vault, which serves as storage at the cemetery, needs about $65,000 in repairs. The city received a $15,000 grant from the Middletown Community Foundation to make repairs, but has not been able to obtain more funding for the restoration.

Landen sent several documents and photos to the commission outlining the work done at the cemetery. The documents state the roads are gravel — despite Wills’ complaint — and the fence is in good repair. City officials also said they have applied for grants to assist with gravestone repairs.

A hearing on the complaint was scheduled for Thursday, but was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be rescheduled to go before the commission in March, said spokesman Dennis Ginty.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
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