NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Cemetery Commission indicated it had no issues with the addition of so-called "green" burials at Southview Cemetery and referred the matter to the mayor's office. 

 

The decision came after a discussion on last Friday with representatives from the Cemetery Department and input from Nicholas Flynn of Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Homes.

 

"The city has been approached about green burials, a true interest in having them happen," said Rosemari Dickinson, of the Cemetery Department. "And at this time we haven't done any. So we talked about it, and thought it had to come before you, to give the advice to administration, and in reviewing it and deciding if it's something that you want to support."

 

Paul Markland, of the Department of Public Works, picked out a spot near the Weber Mausoleum that could used for green burial lots. 

 

"It's kind of pie-shaped, more or less. It's at a higher elevation, you're probably 150 feet above the pond," he said, referring to the pond in the northwest corner of cemetery near the equipment building. 

 

"I don't know the exact number how many we can get in there yet, I'm going to guess 25 to 30."

 

Dickinson said the draft policy presented would allow someone who already owns a lot to have a green burial in one.