Cemetery commission prepares for election of new officers
There will be some open spots on
the Eureka Springs Cemetery Commission
this January.
At the commission’s Wednesday,
Dec. 13, meeting, cemetery superintendent
and commission chairwoman
Susan Tharp reminded the commissioners
that they will need to elect
new officers in January.
“You guys voted in me and [secretary
and treasurer] David Sallee temporarily
until the first of January,” she
said. “The election for new officers
will be in January.”
Commissioners Steven “Yip”
Vorbeck announced that he would
be leaving the commission once his
term is up in January, leaving a seat
open for anyone interested in serving
on the cemetery commission.
Also at the meeting, Tharp told
the commission she has spoken with
the city council about increasing the
hours for the head groundskeeper
position and transferring some of the
superintendent’s duties to that position.
“As far as what I’ve talked with
the city about, I asked for an increase
to be able to substantiate [the head
groundskeeper] at full-time status,”
she said. “That would enable him
to receive insurance and allow us to
transfer parts of the superintendent
duties to him as far as answering daily
phone calls and being there for the
opening of graves.”
The commission voted to table
action on new hours and salary for
the groundskeeper until the council
makes a decision.
Head groundskeeper Pat Lujan
presented the monthly groundskeeper
report to the commission, saying
someone has been cleaning headstones
in the cemetery without permission.
Commissioner Luther “L.B.” Wilson
asked if the person was doing
something wrong.
“Well, you’re not supposed to
clean them,” Lujan said. “There’s not
been a whole lot of damage, but there
has been some.”
He said a few headstones have noticeable
scratches on them from some
kind of knife or tool. The cleaning is
an issue, he said, because the headstones
are private property.
“It’s not our property, and we’re
not supposed to be doing that,” he
said. “The police department is adding
some extra patrols.”
“Who knows what they’re using?”
Vorbeck said. “The damage may not
show up for another year or two.”
Tharp said the commission should
probably consider some sort of camera
system when discussing next
year’s budget. Lujan said he would
be keeping an eye on the situation for
now.
Also in the groundskeeper report,
Lujan said he has finally reached a
turning point with some of the leaves
and pine needles built up in the cemetery,
checking off some of the blocks.
“I want to give a shout out to Jim
Holland,” Lujan said. “He has helped
me immensely. Yesterday, he was
there with his truck hauling loads of
pine needles and leaves.”
Also at the meeting, Tharp announced
that Wilson had gotten a
donation station donated to the cemetery
and it had been set up by the
fountain. The commission discussed
what the sign on the donation station
should read, settling on “Donations
help to preserve our cemetery.”
Tharp said she would also look into
setting up a GoFundMe account for
the cemetery, which could be listed
on the donation box. Lujan suggested
she check with the city about the
legality of having an account.Tharp
also announced that cemetery sexton
Gloria Stevens had completed her updating
of the information in the cemetery’s
official book of records. Lujan
said Stevens was keeping track of the
updating process, providing him with
information for his record book immediately
after selling graves.
The commission’s next regular
meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, in the lobby of
the Auditorium.