Cemetery board members plan clean-up of holiday mementos
“The Romulus Memorial Cemetery has more history than any community around us,” she told the members of the council. “In the 13 years of the cemetery board, our cemetery is immaculate and that couldn't be done without the cooperation of the council.”
Lemon told the council members that she was deeply concerned when she read a disturbing article in a local newspaper about the desperate condition of Hillside Cemetery in Belleville where, Lemon said, city officials there “even suggested sending a letter to the loved ones and survivors asking them to pay fees to operate the cemetery” which is in a deficit financial condition.
The Romulus cemetery is managed by a city-appointed board of directors which has continued to make improvements over the years, including a set of approved regulations for items left at graves. “The rules were designed to ensure everybody is treated equally,” she said. Those rules dictate the removal of all floral arrangements including wreaths and grave blankets by April 1 and the planting of flowers at graves. Flowers planted outside the designated area will be removed and the maintenance of the plants is the responsibility of the individuals doing the planting.
Lemon also reminded the city council members that a clean-up of items left at gravesites during the Easter holiday was planned. “We will be in there next week cleaning it up,”
Prohibited items at the gravesites include holiday and Halloween decorations, yard ornaments, balloons, figurines, wind chimes, lanterns, solar lights and shepherd hooks. Those items will be removed and discarded as will picket fences, decorative rocks, trees, shrubbery, and vegetable plants.
