North Adams Cemetery Commission To Review Regulations
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Cemetery Commission is looking to revamp the city's outdated and often contradictory cemetery regulations.
Commissioner Roger Eurbin said last week that he has asked the city solicitor to review the rules and regulations, which he felt were littered with contradictions.
"They don't agree," he said. "One says one thing and the other says something else."
He said the city should not be responsible for damages caused by "acts of God," however, the regulations state that the city must fix sunken lots. He said he was unsure who was responsible for fixing damages caused by frost heaves.
Nearly 25 monuments at Southview Cemetery have been damaged by frost heaves.
Depending on the city solicitor's findings, Eurbin would like to change the regulations to state that a monument foundation must be at least as wide as the monument and must be at least 4 feet deep. Currently the regulations require a "suitable" foundation.
Chairman Paul Arabia said 4 feet would be "overkill."
"It's an expensive thing funerals and what that would do is open up the doors for some contractor to charge anything they want because we are demanding that it has to be that deep," Arabia said.
He added that the only stones that he has seen affected by frost heaves are older ones with "V" shaped foundations.
If a foundation is set up correctly for the specific area in the cemetery, Arabia said it does not have to be 4 feet deep.
Eurbin felt it would be too complicated to write particular specifications for certain parts of the cemetery in the regulations.
The commissioners decided to pick up the issue next meeting after they hear from the city solicitor.
Eurbin said he wanted to clarify who was responsible for repairs to damaged bronze veteran markers. He said in most cases he believes mowers damage them.
"We have a real problem with these bronze markers right now, and they are tearing them up with the mowers," he said. "We have seen at least a dozen of them that have been run over and damaged badly. These things are dam expensive and you can only get one."
Arabia said the bronze markers are hard to avoid with the mowers and they will sometimes get hit.
"You don't see it until after the fact and that is why things get damaged," Arabia said. "Those things are going to happen. These lawn mowers will move a monument."
Eurbin said the Department of Public Works crews should trim around around the markers.
Arabia said the DPW has two mowers and one trimmer and doesn't have the manpower to trim around every bronze marker.
"Two guys should be cutting and one guy should be trimming but how much will he get done in a week?" he said. "In a perfect world they could get all done ... you have to work with what you got."
Arabia did say that if they damage any monument, the city does repair it. He said this should be in the regulations.
Eurbin added that he would like the regulations to read that bronze markers must have 3-foot deep foundations and a 3-inch border to so they are less likely to move if they are hit.
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