WHEN Pauline and Keith Turner attended a funeral at the Stockinbingal Cemetery in August they were appalled.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
According to the Turners the grounds were laden with overgrown weeds, grass was overgrown, tree branches had fallen on graves, the access road needed regrading and the verge needed a tidy up.
On September 8 the Turners penned a letter to council and the mayor outlining their concerns, urging council to investigate the matter and provide funds for a revamp.
Mrs Turner also presented her concerns at council’s open forum earlier in the month and in spite of her efforts to communicate, council and the mayor are yet to return correspondence.
Council did respond; as Mrs Turner noticed the grounds had been mowed soon after the open forum.
The Turners are not satisfied, “they’ve been out and mowed and that’s a start but if council says it’s being maintained I would beg to differ,” Mrs Turner said.
“It’s only done when they feel like it.”
In the letter to council the Turners also indicate that cemetery facilities are dated and in need of an upgrade.
“When you arrive at the cemetery there are no signs to indicate the various denominations within the cemetery - there appears to be about four separate areas of various ages,” they wrote.
“Apart from the burial sites there is no facility to inter ashes after cremation. Other cemeteries usually have a wall where ashes can be placed and identified with an appropriate plaque.”
On Wednesday the Cootamundra Herald contacted Cootamundra mayor Jim Slattery who’s adamant the Stockinbingal Cemetery is being attended to.
“They mow it and look after it,” Cr Slattery said.
“You can’t expect council to go out there every time a limb falls down.”
Council’s voluntary conservation agreement with the National Parks and Wildlife Service means the grounds surrounding the main part of the cemetery are used as a haven for native flora and fauna.
Cr Slattery reiterated a point raised by general manager Ken Trethewey; that the 200 square metre “used part” of the cemetery is maintained regularly.
Regarding maintenance of grounds outside of that area, council is limited by the regulations of the agreement which stipulates that it must be left to go to seed.
