Pioneer Cemetery Ceremony

i am on the board, sir. i am telling you, ALL options have been discussed to no end. it comes down to BEING TOLD what is and isn't an option. the board is of an advisory capacity, not a decision making body. if compliance of either council or administration is lacking, we simply do not have the ability to magically make something happen. we are currently discussing regular citizen volunteers.

A suggestion. Since it appears that most government bodies (not just our city mind you, but all over our great nation) really like to come up with inventive ways of repackaging items, perhaps this idea might work:

With the lack of lighting and multiple fall hazards inside the cemetery, leaving the gates open in the evening poses a potential public safety hazard along with potential liability towards the City. With this in mind, that leaving the gates open at night is a public safety problem, then the duty of securing the facility by closing and locking the gates in the evening could easily be shifted to the MPD patrol unit for that area. It would not be an overtime situation since there are MPD patrol units for that geographic area pretty much 24/7. Additionally, doing this should cause a reduction in other crimes (like vandalism) that occur in the property, which is always a goal of the MPD.

Since unlocking and opening the gates in the morning is not a public safety issue, it can be done during straight time by a municipal employee as part of their everyday job duties along with opening gates at other municipal properties like Smith Park, etc.

Mike, you'd have to add that the Mayor would also need to live right next door to the cemetery to get that type of support, the reason for the Thatcher bailout, now the Sr. Citizen bailout, and so forth. These two levies will riase more money than the city puts in street maintenance. Funny Mr. Picard says it can't afford the money for the cemetery lock but the street lamps get passed without much thought nor debate.

Cant the state be called in to sort this out ? I mean if they are doing illegal things wouldnt they have to answer to someone for it?

So in other words its just sleazy politics,flaunt it in front of our eyes and count on apathy just like the big boys in washington dc.

I appreciate the cemetery board's efforts since they organized. It would appear, since the board's inception, that there has been attempts to right the long time neglect and dishonor to the ones buried there and their families. My grandfather's mother, father and brother are buried there. Glad to see activity to make the place a little nicer. Your efforts are well received.

Viscount Valmont

It is the families of those buried at the Middletown Cemetery that have called and complained about the condition year after year and the nothing was ever corrected.

Viscount, it is not up to the family members to solve the problems of the cemetery it is the City since the law clearly states that it is their responsibility and what needs to be done at the cemetery. At the last meeting I attended I stated that tombstones had been removed from the graves and needed to be replaced.  You didn’t seem to think this was a serious problem that needed any action. It is against the law to deface or move a tombstone from a grave…period….and to add to this problem….these tombstones have been off the graves for at least 15 years. I have requested every year for 6 years that this problem be solved. Soooo please tell me what a reasonable amount of time should be for the city to place these stones back on the gravesites.

So once again I will tell you that the Middletown Cemetery is not in compliance with ORC 4767.06

Summertime1957
So do you think it is ok to put the stones back in the cemetery on the ground so that they can be mowed over and grown over where they may never be found? 

Yes, I want all the tombstones back in the cemetery on the graves where they belong…ASAP….In fact that is the only place that they do belong at any time.
At this point in my opinion the stones are in a place where they will not be destroyed any further and will be placed back on the graves that they belong on. 

You really need to read ORC4767.06 because your opinion is in error on this fact. It is against the law for these stones to remain off these graves.

The Middletown Cemetery has not been in compliance with the law for many years.

The cemetery board was created so that it might help get things done for the cemetery that the City of Middletown honestly does not want to take care of.   

Wow, then you have a lot of work to get completed at the cemetery.
So if everyone would please let the Board do the work that they were charged to do maybe they can get the cemetery back to what Vivian refers to as ORC4767.06.
Well, Summertime, from where I’m sitting, the only person stopping the board is the board.

Summerrain1957 wrote: LMAO...  glad you are all getting a laugh out of the mess that has come out of the City and Ms Moon fighting, which in the end will be a black eye for the cemetery and the Vault will be torn down in November.    Thats where the problem is,are spineless leaders have forgotten who pays their damn sarlies.They are nothing but liars and backstabbers and everyone of them ought to be booted out of office.Its not going to get any better till they do.     Hmmm Really???   Even if the Management changes downtown problems will still exist with the cemetery...  this has been going on for years not just since JG has been City Manager.  Think about it.  The city does not want to put any money or as little as possible into the cemetery.  that is why the board is trying to do what they can to save the vault and get the cemetery back into cpmpliance   If all the people on this blog that are complaining about the cemetery would stop bitchin about how the City is or is not doing their job with this Cemetery Problem and step up and support the New Board then maybe, just maybe there would be changes as to the way the cemetery is taken care of.    I just think there are people out there that want to keep the fire stoked and this will not get the Board anywhere except maybe dissolved come November.

Summerrain 1957- I appreciate the board's efforts as I stated 4 or 5 posts before your posts. I too, am not a fan of the city leaders in many areas including the way they have handled the vault, the cemetery upkeep and the apparent lack of caring for the site over the years.

I agree with you about backing off and letting the cemetery board take the lead and try to right the ship getting the cemetery back up to standard. I will differ with you on your comments concerning the defense of the city leaders, the city manager in particular. IMO, as I have stated before, she is not good for this city as she has charted the wrong direction for this town to progress. We are a regressive town and the joke of SW Ohio. Has been for 20+ years. It is her, some of her staff and her predecessors who have carved a destructive path for this town and, like LMAQ has stated, some need to be run out of town and new council people need to be elected as this council is grossly misguided in it's decision making. Becker, Picard, Mulligan and Allen need to be eliminated from council. The Law Director, The Planning Director and the city manager need to go. They have done enough damage. JMO

You state:

"As long as people only complain behind the scenes and not in an open forum NOTHING will be solved. Thank you"

I must respond to your statement. I have been to many forums and council meetings over the years. Have spoken before council for the three minute "Citizens Comments" portion of the meeting. Have spoken at the various "talks with councilmembers" forums that Laubach, Marconi and others have had in the past. They all listen. Council never makes a comment or answers your questions directed to them. They never agree or admit that they agree. They never offer a solution on the spot. They usually give the patented "city response" and they are masters at dancing around the content of the question. In other words, you are hard-pressed to get a straight, honest answer from anyone on council nor in the city building. THAT is why most people don't approach this city government. THE PEOPLE never receive honesty from our elected and hired officials. Again, JMO.

The board is split apart, the current or replaced? Chair can't even get a clear direction or understanding what their role is IMO. And yes I have been to the meetings. All good hearted and caring people giving up time to help solve some of the issues.

Summerrain 1957 states "I believe that there is a definate feud going on between the City Manager and Ms Moon over the Cemetery and it is also my belief that this is due inpart to Ms Moon telling the city how to do their job. which I stated before they will not tolerate"

BUT SOMEONE WHO CARED HAD TO TELL THE CITY HOW TO DO THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY WERE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW IN MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE MS. MOON, WHO WAS PERSISTENT ENOUGH TO NOT LET IT RIDE BUT RATHER CALL THEM ON IT. SHOULD HAPPEN MORE IMO. THE CITY, ESPECIALLY THE CITY MANAGER, WAS VINDICTIVE IN THE HANDLING OF MS. MOON'S EFFORTS TOWARD THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CEMETERY. TO REMOVE THE NICE PLANTED, MULCHED ENTRYWAY BY THE GATE WAS JUST ASININE. IT SHOWED A TOTAL LACK OF MATURITY IN THE WAY IT WAS HANDLED AND REMINDED ME OF THE PLAYGROUND BULLY SYNDROME. CHILDISH.

SOME OF US REALLY DON'T GIVE A DAM WHETHER THE CITY WILL "TOLERATE" IT OR NOT. SOME OF US ARE NOT INTIMIDATED BY THESE SO-CALLED CITY LEADERS. WE HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THEM BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE AND THE DESTRUCTION THEY ARE CAUSING. WHEN THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THEM AND THEIR ATTITUDE, THE DEADWOOD PURGE WILL BE MADE AND, HOPEFULLY, THEY WILL LEAVE TOWN, ALLOWING US TO "TAKE OUT THE TRASH". PERHAPS THE NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE WILL ALLOW US TO FORGET THIS SAD TIME IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.