Rules and Regulations

LOT TRANSACTIONS

1. The reservation of lots, any planting of ornamentals (plants, flowers, trees, etc.), settings of markers and monuments, in accordance with the general plan for the ornamentation of the grounds, and all such business shall be supervised or approved by the Manager. The Manager is the Head Groundskeeper and overseer of cemetery operations.

2. The Manager shall show and reserve the lots which are to be paid for at the time of purchase.

3. Upon proof of ownership, the purchaser of a lot may sell a lot back to the Cemetery District, by approval of the Cemetery Board. The repurchase price of the lot shall be determined by the Cemetery Board.

4. Any lot which is not used after fifty (50) years from purchase date, may be repossessed by the Cemetery District, but only after the Cemetery District has made every required effort to locate the owner or beneficiaries of such lot.

ORNAMENTALS AND DECORATIONS

1. If any tree or shrub shall by means of its roots or branches or decorations placed on any lot interfere or become detrimental to adjacent lots or interfere with the general design of the cemetery the Manager shall have the right to remove such item (planted or placed) or any part thereof, as his judgment shall deem best.

 

2. Following a memorial service, flowers or plants shall be left at grave site no longer than seven (7) day Removal is up to the Manager after (7) days with the exception that if the flowers or plants impede normal operations they may be removed at the direction of the Manager.

 

3. Any monument foundation or marker setting shall have district approved flower or plant openings of approximately 4”, (minimum diameter), on both ends.  Flowers or plants shall be placed therein and therein only.  If the owner desires to place shepherd hooks, flags, etc. socket bases shall be placed within the monument foundation or marker. Meridian Cemetery shall not be held responsible for any damage to plants or flowers or other decorations.  The Manager/Cemetery Board reserves the right to remove offensive or inappropriate decorations or items.

 

4. Flower or plant containers or other grave site decorations (shepherd hooks, flags etc.) shall not impede mowers, trimmers, sprinklers or any other upkeep of graves. Flowers, plants and or all decorations must be kept off the grass during the mowing season. No artificial flowers will be allowed between April 1st and November 1st.

 

5. No wire anchors, glass or rock filled containers shall be permitted.

 

6. Memorial Day and the seven (7) days following: flowers, plants, and all other grave site decorations upon the grass and on or around markers and monuments are permitted. After the 7th day any decoration not placed within concrete foundation will be discarded.

 

7. All items not confined within the concrete foundation will be subject for removal. We ask that items of value to a patron not be left in the cemetery. The cemetery will not be responsible for any such item damaged or stolen.

INTERMENTS AND FUNERALS

1. All interments (burials and cremations) shall be made enclosed in a burial vault of concrete, or other vaults of strength and design equal to, or exceeding, the design criteria established in the National Concrete Burial Vault Association’s Performance Standards or other recognized engineering standards such as ASTM WK828 – New Proposed Standard for Precast Concrete Burial Vaults and ASTM WK 21780 – New Practice for Minimum Structural Design Loading for Precast Concrete Burial Vaults & Grave Liners.  All burial vaults must be in acceptable condition and will be subject to approval by the Manager.

 

2. Temporary markers shall be left on graves for no longer than one year from date of placement. Arrangements must be made by responsible party or parties for some type of permanent marker (within cemetery guidelines) for identity of graves.

 

3. Requests for openings of graves shall be furnished to the Manager at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of funeral during regular business hours. (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Orders for Saturday and Monday openings shall be furnished before noon the previous Fri All scheduling of services must be cleared and approved by the Manager before any time is set to ensure proper intervals between services.

 

4. Weekday services cannot be scheduled to start after 3:30 pm with all persons attending such service to disperse by or before 4:30 pm to accommodate cemetery crew closure of the burial site. Additional charges will be assessed at the rate of $100 at 30 minute intervals, starting at 4:30 pm for services extending after 4:30 pm.

 

5. Saturday cemetery services cannot be scheduled to start after 11:00 a.m. Saturday cemetery services must conclude and cemetery grounds must be vacated by 12:00 p.m. This policy allows the cemetery crew to access the site and complete grave closures.

 

6. Burial of more than one person in the same grave is strictly prohibited except in the case of mother and infant, cremation, or in the area designated and developed for double burials.

 

7. No disinterment will be allowed except by the authority of the person owning the ground in which the interment was made, and by court order. A proper receipt for the remains must also be given.

 

8. Disinterments may not be made in April and May.

 

9. For reasons of liability, no person, except those employed by the Meridian Cemetery, shall assist in any grave digging or other cemetery duties with the noted exception of recognized vault purveyor(s).  Cemetery staff shall cease closure activities if burial area is not deemed safe for operations and additional charges may be assessed.

VISITORS

1. Visitors are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly manner. Vehicles shall not be driven in excess of ten (10) miles per hour.

 

2. Children must be supervised and not allowed to run or play in the cemetery.

 

3. No animals, alcohol or firearms will be allowed within the Cemetery ground.

 

4. All persons are forbidden to remove flowers or plants from other lots without permission, to damage trees or shrubs on any lot or grave, or to damage or deface any monument, structure or other property.  Violators will be prosecuted.

 

5. Meridian Cemetery shall be open to the public from sun-up until sundown. Cemetery grounds are off limits after dark. Any persons violating such rules will be reported to the proper authorities.

MONUMENTS AND MARKERS

1. All monuments and markers are the responsibility of the owner.  Meridian Cemetery shall bear no liability for any damage, deterioration, destruction, theft, or vandalism of grave marker or stone. Should a stone or monument at any time be deemed hazardous, the Manager shall notify of the owner and request restoration or repair (at the owner’s expense).

 

2. No foot stones, corner markers, or other obstructions will be allowed above ground level.

 

3. Lot owners are responsible for the proper placement of monuments and are encouraged to work with the Manager and monument firms.  Any changes ordered by the owner will be made by them, at their expense. The expenses incurred in making such changes must be paid in advance.

 

4. Monument firms should contact Manager prior to setting of monument, regarding location,facing and specification.

 

5. Cutting additional names or letters on monuments or headstones or other upgrade, after the same has been placed in position, will require written authority from the owner. The Cemetery District will not be responsible for errors.

 

6. All monument foundations and marker settings shall have district approved flower or plant holder openings of approximately 3” (minimum diameter), on either end and must be installed by approved monument setters.  Shepherd’s hook base sockets may be located on the monument foundations and marker settings in such a manner that the decoration will not interfere with the normal maintenance of the cemetery and they shall be installed by approved monument setters.  Exceptions or variations to these requirements may be considered by the Manager to address unusual circumstances or conditions and modifications will be made in accordance with the manager/Manager.

 

7. Monument firms will be held responsible for any damage done by them to other monuments, graves, grass, trees or other objects in the cemetery. They are subject to the control and direction of the Manager.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

1. A schedule of the Cemetery Board meetings will be posted at the Cemetery office building. Any person wishing to speak at these meetings must contact one of the commissioners prior to the meeting. Fifteen (15) minutes of each meeting will be set aside for comments and questions from district patrons.

 

2. All of the above stated Rules and Regulations are subject to the Board of Commissioners of the Meridian Cemetery Maintenance District and shall remain in effect until such time as changed by said Board and promulgated in the minutes.