The Nowata Cemetery Board hears resident concerns about a city ordinance on the removal of gravesite decorations.
The meeting was held on Wednesday morning after a Facebook post two weeks ago announced that graveside decorations would be removed from the city cemetery beginning on September 21st. The ordinance authorizes the removal of structures and decorations that are not placed on the concrete plot paid for by an individual. Nowata City Commissioner Cary Robinson says he encourages people to care about the cemetery.
Tensions rose at the beginning of the meeting when many residents voiced their concerns over mowing performance by crews at the cemetery. Robinson says the contract for cemetery maintenance is up for a vote each year.
The cemetery ordinance states that “the placing of curbs, trees, bushes, structures, benches, or statues around cemetery lots—other than the original markers or its replacement around or upon cemetery lots—is prohibited, except by the City Cemetery Caretaker.”
