[Southsider2k12]

I missed the boat on the beginning of this, but there are a lot of STRONG opinions involved here... The letters to the anvil chorus have been unreal.

It looks like they are no longer allowing decorations to adorn gravesites, except for specific time periods. The things causing the most anger are that US flags aren't being allowed to be placed at the sites of veterans anymore.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=11494

Cemetery Rules Upset Visitors
Enforcement of ‘over-decorations’ at sites irritates mourners at city graveyards.

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - When Annou Heric and her husband walk around Greenwood Cemetery, visiting the graves of her late in-laws, they enjoy the way families individually decorate their loved ones' grave sites.

But cemetery officials say the Herics are in the minority.

The city's cemetery board this month decided to better enforce long-standing rules and add a few new ones to clamp down on what officials say has become the "over-decoration" of graves at the city's cemeteries.

"I haven't gotten many calls at all complaining about this," cemetery board member Duane Mertl said. "A good deal of these rules have been on the books for a number of years. I think people are just surprised. But we needed to get some control over what was happening down there." News-Dispatch readers have expressed in letters to The Anvil Chorus their disgust with the enforcement of rules at Greenwood governing the decoration of graves. Especially the limits on when flags can be placed on graves.

Cemeteries Director Mark Tomsheck said decorating graves has gotten "out of hand" at times, with people adorning grave sites with everything from wind chimes to Halloween skeletons.

Heric said Monday she enjoys hearing wind chimes in the cemetery and blames the city for not allowing "the people's cemetery" to have any passion.

"What really bothers me is, I've seen a mother there who goes to mourn her son's death. There were always balloons there - he was a big Bears fan. It's tragic now how they can't have balloons or anything like that," Heric said.

Cemetery rules on entry signs regulate the planting of flowers and outlaws the planting of trees, shrubs and bushes. The rules also regulate what kind of flags may be displayed and sets a time frame for displaying them, even on veterans' graves.

Rules have been in place for flags, but Mertl said most are now being enforced more strongly than in the past.

The rules also outlaw any "enclosures" placed around a gravesite, as well as loose materials like rocks or wood.

The city also has regulated when, where, and for how long, signs and holiday decorations may be used.

Other cemeteries in La Porte County state rules, as well, but the lists are shorter and more generic.

St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery, just south of Greenwood Cemetery, encourages "reverence and respect," in the placement of decorations.

It allows the placement of flowers, but forbids placing any metal object on a grave, including shepherd's hooks, as well as glass, fences, concrete, bricks or decorative stones.

Pine Lake Cemetery in La Porte forbids the planting of trees, bushes and shrubs and allows only two floral displays per grave which must be close to the headstone.

No glass containers are allowed.

While Michigan City officials say more uniformity is needed, Mertl said part of the need to reintroduce and better enforce the rules with a sign is the cost incurred to clean up when rules are broken.

"We have a limited budget and personnel," he said. "It takes more time to mow around small areas and use the weed whipper. And it's all because of the problems we're having with the rules not being followed."

Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

A Sampling Of Rules
A sample of the rules posted at the entrances to Greenwood Cemetery:

• All flowers planted on any grave shall be within 18 inches from side of stone and be maintained by plot owner. Any plantings not maintained will be removed and disposed of.

• National flags, legions, service clubs, police and fire remembrance flags are allowed from one week prior to Memorial Day until one week after Independence Day. Flags are also allowed for seven days at Veterans Day. All other flags, banners, pennants, windsocks and streamers are not allowed at any time.

• Christmas decorations are only permitted from Dec. 1 through March 15. Seasonal decorations such as Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day or any other holiday are permitted for two weeks before and one week after the holiday.

• Vigil lights and solar lights specifically and commercially manufactured for cemetery use are permitted.

Source: Michigan City Cemetery

[Dave]

I remember seeing some cemetaries which have bans on artificial flowers, and others that only allow artificial flowers. This sort of thing varies a lot from place to place. Some cemetaries now only allow stones which are flush with the ground, so mowing the grass is easier.

On a mostly unrelated note:

• Vigil lights and solar lights specifically and commercially manufactured for cemetery use are permitted.

If I was going to go the cemetary route post my mortem, I think I'd want one of these. I'm thinking something like a solar powered device that would project my image at random intervals during the night and say "Boo!"

[Southsider2k12]

I am really glad to see them make this adjustment and nod to the wishes of MC.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=15520

Cemetery Now Allows U.S. Flags Year-Round

Dave Hawk
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - U.S. flags can be displayed year-round at Greenwood Cemetery under a modified policy adopted by the Cemetery Board.

Originally, the policy allowed flags only from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July. When the policy was posted earlier this year and enforcement of the rules stepped up, it drew criticism for both the restrictions on flags and limits on other kinds of cemetery decorations.

Cemetery Board President Duane Mertl said families that place flags are expected to tend to them once they are left at graves. However, since that doesn't always happen, cemetery employees will monitor the flags, he said.

"If they become tattered, we will remove them and see that they are disposed of the way they are supposed to be disposed of," Mertl said.

That's usually handled by local military veterans groups.

Other non-U.S. flags can be there for the Memorial Day to Fourth of July period only, he said, adding, "Rules for non-U.S. flags haven't changed."

Restrictions on where flags are placed also remains in effect. The rules are needed so the cemetery can be safely mowed, he said.

Flowers continue to be permitted, but not other mementos, balloons or chimes.

Also permitted are vigil lights powered by solar energy, but they must be approved for cemetery use, Mertl said. Other types, such as plastic ones sold in stores, are not allowed because "if they are hit by a mower they will break and send plastic flying all over the place, and that becomes a danger."

Approved lights are sold at the cemetery office, he said.

Meanwhile, Bob Hock, adjutant of American Legion Post 37, said veterans organizations each year place U.S. flags at some 3,500 or more military veterans' graves at Greenwood Cemetery. They are put up before Memorial Day and will continue to be taken down after the Fourth of July, he said.

The 12-by-18-inch flags are provided by La Porte County, and the veterans organization reuses the ones that are still in good shape and disposes of those that aren't, Hock said.

His post, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2536, and the Disabled American Veterans post offered to police the cemetery to remove tattered flags, but Mertl said the cemetery staff will retain that responsibility.

Contact Managing Editor Dave Hawk at dhawk@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Dan]

How despicable.

You know what' else I really have a problem with?

It's how people treat Greenwood and St. Stan's like they are their personal bike/walking track.

It's not a gym, it's a cemetery. I'll thank you NOT to disrespect the memory of my mother by treating it as such.

[Ang]

My parents used to walk in the cemetary for excercise. They found it very peaceful and didn't have to worry about traffic.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Good grief! Didn't the Board know that banning American flags was gonna create a firestorm of hyperpatriotic criticism?

[Dave]

Cemeteries years ago were treated as parks. Families would pack up picnic lunches on a Sunday and go out to where Grandma and Grandpa had their final resting places and have their picnic, wash the gravestones, plant some flowers.
How people view cemeteries has changed over time. Often towns will have cemetaries on a bluff with a scenic view, and many gravesites have benches for people to sit. Why bother doing that if you don't expect people to go there?

[Roger Kaputnik]

As long as people treat the cemetery with respect, there should be no problem with that.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=57865.55

Flags In Cemetery
Board Relaxes Rule

Editorial

Finally, some sanity has returned to the issue of decorating graves at the city's cemeteries.

Just a few months ago, the Michigan City Cemetery Board posted a monstrous list of rules governing behavior, decoration and maintenance of grave sites. There was nothing wrong with that, but the rule changed some long-standing practices, especially when it came to flags on graves.

In particular , the rule about when and how the U.S. flag could be displayed on veterans' graves angered a lot of people. The rule allowed flags to be displayed only from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July. The families of veterans and veterans groups were angered by the rule.

They argued there was nothing wrong with putting an American flag on a veteran's grave at any time during the year. The rule affected 3,500 veterans' graves in Greenwood Cemetery.

The primary reason for the rule was for cemetery maintenance. Too many grave sites were becoming littered with all sorts of decorations from balloons and stuffed animals to wind chimes and flowers. It became a problem for mowing crews and that's why the cemetery board stepped in. But when the board created the rules, they went a bit too far when it came to American flags. It's good that they have backed away from that rule.

Duane Mertl, president of the cemetery board, said that once the flags are put in place, families are expected to maintain them, but cemetery staff will assist. Tattered flags are removed and properly disposed of. Veterans organizations have offered to help police the flags, especially for elderly family members who may not be able to get to the cemetery as often as they would like. It is a generous offer, but Mertl said the flags will be monitored by cemetery employees.

What has happened is a win-win for everyone. Families of veterans will be allowed to honor their loved one and the cemetery will be able to maintain its neat appearance. That's all anyone wanted in the first place.

Our Opinion
The Issue: The Cemetery Board will allow U.S. flags as grave decorations year-round.

Our Opinion: The previous rule allowing U.S. flag display only from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July was too limiting, and it upset a lot of people. The new rule makes better sense.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Now, if there was some way of stopping the despicable theft of grave decorations...

[Dan]

Dave, what you say is 100% true, but Greenwood/St. Stan's really don't fall into that Category...

"Oh yes, darling, let us go the Cemetery and watch the cars zoom by on Jackson Ave! Maybe even a train will thunder by!"

hehe

MC has no shortage of parks, malls or sidewalks.

[JHeath]

...
MC has no shortage of parks, malls or sidewalks.

Wait a minute--no shortage of sidewalks? Are you thinking of the same town I am? I grew up in Edgewood, where the only two stretches of sidewalks are on Cleveland Ave, from Garrettson Ave to Barker Rd, and in around Edgewood School.

[Ang]

There's not too many sidewalks in Trail Creek either.

[JHeath]

There's not too many sidewalks in Trail Creek either.

No, the only places in Trail Creek where I've seen sidewalks are along Roeske Ave ( from Whippoorwill to the Michigan Blvd), and along Meadowlark (only from Greenwwod to Oriole, though).

I don't have any problem with people walking or running there; it's not as though they're running over the graves, just on the paths. It's safe, and quiet...and apparently, very convenient for some. I'm not planning to use it for that purpose, but I don't feel as though they're disrespecting the many realtives of mine who "reside" there.

[Roger Kaputnik]

It is the proper respect that makes the difference. Staying on the paved paths is critical, but also leaving people some privacy as they visit graves--ie, don't run past them, go another way.

[Michelle]

If I was going to go the cemetary route post my mortem, I think I'd want one of these. I'm thinking something like a solar powered device that would project my image at random intervals during the night and say "Boo!"

lol, I missed this the first time around.