May 31, 2025

 

Ashland Cemetery Association Statement 

 

To our Concerned Community Members, Families and Visitors:

 

It has come to the attention of the Ashland Cemetery Association board members that citizens are voicing concerns through social media about the condition of the cemetery grounds this past Memorial Day weekend.

 

We as board members are intensely aware of the current conditions.  The management and upkeep for a cemetery with over 17,000 existing gravesites is not an easy task.  To complicate matters, nearly 200 new gravesites are added each year sprawling across 35 acres of land.

 

We currently have two full-time staff members, and our highest priority is the burial of individuals, family members and friends.  A burial or funeral service will take precedence over mowing grass regardless of the weather conditions.

 

This is a short list of our major issues this year:

 

• Spring Rainfall:  We fight this battle every spring.  Some years are worse than others and the rainfall this spring in Ashland has been unprecedented.  Rainfall means staff members have a difficult time keeping up on maintenance.

• Labor Shortages:  Like many seasonal operations, we have faced considerable difficulty securing necessary seasonal workers to maintain the grounds.  Despite early and ongoing recruitment efforts, labor shortages continually limit our ability to keep up with the maintenance needs.

• Holiday Surge:  Memorial Day always brings an increase in visitors and activity when everyone cleans up their loved one's gravesites in preparation for the holiday.

 

If you would like to volunteer, offer suggestions or help in resolving any of these issues, please reach out directly at the Ashland Cemetery office or any of the current board members.

 

To those that understand the situation and have reached out both behind the keyboard and personally to board members with kind words, we sincerely thank you and absolutely welcome your input to combat these issues in the future.  

 

Most of us have loved ones that occupy the Ashland Cemetery and truly do care about the appearance and upkeep just as much as everyone else.  If we didn't care, we wouldn't take the time to volunteer to serve on the Board.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jim Doyle, President

Amy Clark, Vice-President

Tom Marquette,  Treasurer

Joe Mason, Board Member

Jason Miller, Board Member

Marcy Doyle, Recording Secretary