Bardstown man outraged at cemetery's removal of mementos

BARDSTOWN, Ky. When loved ones die, the grief can be crippling. What helps many cope is being able to visit a gravesite for a final connection.

[readthepaper]

readthepaper wrote:

Wow... imagine that? Still Bill saying something that is absolutely wrong. Basically when he gets caught in his ignorance, tries to cover that up with an ambiguous "we'll there have been changes base to cemetery policy, only we haven't posted any of the changes or notified anyone about the changes." SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK?? this man is a joke. and a bad joke at that. BEAT IT BILLY.

*made

[readthepaper]

Wow... imagine that? Still Bill saying something that is absolutely wrong. Basically when he gets caught in his ignorance, tries to cover that up with an ambiguous "we'll there have been changes base to cemetery policy, only we haven't posted any of the changes or notified anyone about the changes." SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK?? this man is a joke. and a bad joke at that. BEAT IT BILLY.

[Pretty Town]

real pretty behind the scenes ain't it

[barbie]

leave Billy alone

[Monroe]

There are notifications up all over the cemetery that at certain times of the year they will remove all decorations and things on the tombstones it's been there for years get over it

[Casper]

Monroe wrote:

There are notifications up all over the cemetery that at certain times of the year they will remove all decorations and things on the tombstones it's been there for years get over it

I think the controversy is related to the decorations being selectively removed. whether or not there was a bias that factored into what happened, it understandably smells like favoritism. Compounding the confusion is the Mayors "non answer." For me, the issue isn't so much about the decorations, it's about the poor handling of a familiar and common issue that communities from East to West have dealt with (graveside decorations & cemetery mgmnt)
#F

[dem]

Go read the notifications on the signs. It says no flowers or decorations can be on the ground when it is MOWING SEASON and this is not mowing season

[amazing]

dem wrote:

Go read the notifications on the signs. It says no flowers or decorations can be on the ground when it is MOWING SEASON and this is not mowing season

a Dem that can read

[Family Member]

I called the city and ask about flowers being removed from graves. I was told that on Jan 3rd they had a "clean up" at the cemetery. I understand this is necessary sometime. I ask why the flowers were removed from the gravesite, and I was told they must have fallen off the headstone, etc. The flowers were just two weeks old, they were not faded and they were in vases that were attached to the headstone. I was told, "Maybe someone stole them." I was also told that if they had been removed by the city in the cleanup, they were placed in the shed, and I was free to go look and see if I could find them. This is the second time in the past few years, that flowers have been removed, for no reason. I understand if they are in the way of mowing the grass, glass items, etc., but that is not the case. Blows my mind.

[TattooLady13]

I understand the need to leave flowers and visit to ease grief. But if every item was left on graves in a public graveyard, it would b utter chaos. If this is an issue with some, I suggest looking into family graveyards or crypts instead of regular graveyard's.

[Blue Bridge]

You don't needs no old cementairy we throwed ma and pa both over the side of the old Blue bridge when thay passed.

[FYI]

Monroe wrote:

There are notifications up all over the cemetery that at certain times of the year they will remove all decorations and things on the tombstones it's been there for years get over it

The postings you are referring to, say during mowing season things will be removed and this is not mowing season!

[Upset Mom]

My son's flower's were actually taken out of his vase on said clean up day which is at least 2 1/2 feet above the ground. I was told by the city worker it was done in case the flowers should blow out of the vase and litter. I informed them that there was no way the flowers would blow out as they are incased in gravel and tied to the vase, but they were still removed. I have since put more flowers in the vase and no one has removed them. I understand during mowing season if things are placed on the ground they have to be removed, but when things are on the tombstones high above the ground, how can they justify removing them?

[no clue]

TattooLady13 wrote:

I understand the need to leave flowers and visit to ease grief. But if every item was left on graves in a public graveyard, it would b utter chaos. If this is an issue with some, I suggest looking into family graveyards or crypts instead of regular graveyard's.

have you lost a close family member? I doubt it from your post. When you do then you can voice your opinion. A grave and a tombstone is the place we have to go and morn our loved ones. leaving flowers on the stone gives us comfort and is not utter chaos as you so eloquently stated!!!!!!

[TattooLady13]

Yes I have lost 2 close family members. And if you can understand written words, I posted the fact that I understand the need 2 go to the grave site and mourn. But if every item that was left at a grave, was never removed it would be chaos. Now since I have explain in detail why this is, here we go.
Look at the dates on the graves in your local graveyard, what some go back 80-100 yrs. Now if the items had been left on all the graves from all the years ago, the you would have to pick your way thru the mess because it would be everywhere. Hence what I was trying to explain in my 1st post. So you might want to read things clearly before you reply back from your high horse.

no clue wrote:

<quoted text>
have you lost a close family member? I doubt it from your post. When you do then you can voice your opinion. A grave and a tombstone is the place we have to go and morn our loved ones. leaving flowers on the stone gives us comfort and is not utter chaos as you so eloquently stated!!!!!!

[curious]

I was curious about the clean up at the cemetery so I rode through today to see for myself. It does look as if they picked and chose which stones to clean off. On the Bardstown side about 1/3 the way back the stones have been cleaned off, the rest still has flowers on them. St. Joe's side all stones still are decorated. In my personal opinion a stone with flowers is more eye pleasing than a stone with nothing. If they want to make the cemetery look better then they need to get rid of all those big overgrown shurbs and dead trees. Leave the flowers and the stones alone.

[in agreement]

curious wrote:

I was curious about the clean up at the cemetery so I rode through today to see for myself. It does look as if they picked and chose which stones to clean off. On the Bardstown side about 1/3 the way back the stones have been cleaned off, the rest still has flowers on them. St. Joe's side all stones still are decorated. In my personal opinion a stone with flowers is more eye pleasing than a stone with nothing. If they want to make the cemetery look better then they need to get rid of all those big overgrown shurbs and dead trees. Leave the flowers and the stones alone.

I totally agree with curious. There are dead trees in the cemetery that are eye sores. They have let the shrubs get totally out of control. There is a HUGH shrub on the front corner that definitely something needs to be done. I also agree that a stone with flowers is much prettier than a stone with nothing on it. St.Joe side always looks nicer than City of Bardstown's side. They keep their trees and shrubs neat and allow people to keep flower's on their loved one's stones. So if you are thinking about buying a plot on the Bardstown side you may want to reconsider and move on over to St.Joe's side.

[Agree]

I understand removing once a year things on the ground but never never never should anything be removed off the headstones!!! We pay for that spot, that headstone, and the things we are placing on them! If the city wants control then the burial spots should be free! Don't take things that aren't yours! Pretty sure that was taught in kindergarten! If its kept nice then leave it alone and I know the 2 in my family were changed every season and every holiday and it was all kept clean and nice yet it was all removed and there are some still up there that looks terrible!

[MAD]

Anyone who can come to the Meeting wednesday Feb 13th @ 8:30 at city hall, there is strength in numbers. We all have lost a loved one, and so has the people on the mayors committee... we need to take back our rights at the cemetery, we buy those plots we should have rights to. No one shoud be allowed to pull a flower out of our attached pots or off the headstone ..