John Willoughby: reporter2@greenepublishing.com
Since 1913, the Evergreen Cemetery has served as the final resting place for generations of Greenville residents. It is known to be the first public cemetery as other cemeteries were private or owned by local churches.
The cemetery, which lies between the busy US Hwy. 90 and the backroads of Grand Street, was the topic of discussion during a Monday, May 11, meeting of the Greenville Town Council, where questions regarding the town's responsibility over the growing vegetation arose.
According to Mayor Brittni Brown, who opened council discussion, the agenda item initially stemmed from complaints of "very upset" individuals who were under the impression that members of the Greenville Public Works department allegedly damaged graveside items of memoriam during their routine upkeep, a service which public works director Wayne Malone states occurs once every week to two weeks. But, Mayor Brown continued to add that "the discussion has widened."
"I think there was something put out about the council wanting to raid the city cemetery fund, place it in our general fund, so since those things kind of spiraled out of me asking for this item to be put on the agenda, then I just dove right in and said, 'Let's deal with it,' she added. Mayor Brown also inquired about the town's purchase agreement of plots, possibly detailing town maintenance at the cemetery, though she was informed by town clerk Kim Reams no such document exists, which was a noted area of concern.
Continuing, Mayor Brown stated that the priority of the agenda item was to update policies and procedures "so everyone will be clear as far as the responsibilities of the parties that purchase the plots and what the responsibility of the town council will be."
Currently, plots at Evergreen Cemetery are sold by the Greenville Town Council for $250, which is entered into the special revenue fund for the land of rest. Mayor Brown posed the question, asking if the property would be the purchaser's when the plot is sold and what the responsibilities of the town would be to continue maintaining that plot once it's been sold. "Of course, we don't want the cemetery to grow up and not be maintained, but we understand – or at least I understand, that that is something we need to address." While the Bush Estate, which was established by Council Bush shortly after the Evergreen Cemetery was instituted, provided funds for the upkeep of the grounds, the town council assumed responsibility within the last decade. It was also added that inmate crews from the Florida Department of Corrections have helped with maintenance and contractors have been hired to continue maintenance in the past.
Councilman Calvin Malone spoke on the Bush Estate, calling it "a dead horse," claiming it was dissolved. However, Councilman Malone suggested increasing the rates of plots to continue maintenance. "Even if it's their property and they choose not to maintain it, it's still an eyesore and again, it comes back to the Town of Greenville." Mayor Brown came back, stating that an increase in rates would apply for future purchasers, but "what about the ones who have plots?" Councilman Malone questioned.
Town Attorney John Reid joined the conversation adding that though he doesn't know if the Town of Greenville has never had a purchase agreement, he knows there's not a purchase agreement currently in place, adding that "we don't know what's been done back then."
"I think the clerk did mention that at one point, prior to her being here, she understood that we did have deeds that were issued so I'd like to know what kind of deeds those were," Attorney Reid spoke over the virtual platform, Zoom. In a statement previously made by Councilman Malone about code enforcement, Attorney Reid stated that he didn't have an answer for the council if there was a question regarding whether code enforcement can be used for the property within the cemetery.
"I'd want to know how the property was conveyed and whether it's our property or whether it's the individual's property. Sounds to me like there is a common area that has to be maintained by the – " Attorney Reid paused.
"Right, I'm speaking specifically to the ones that have been purchased," Mayor Brown noted.
"Yes, so I think the question is, 'what did they buy?' Did they buy the portion under the ground or did they purchase the part – "
"Around it?," Mayor Brown asked."
"Well no, I think with the top being considered common area that we're required to maintain or do they own everything from the ground up to the sky? I think that's something I'm going to have to research further," Attorney Reid added.
Councilman Malone mentioned contracting the service out. Public works director Wayne Malone also entered into the conversation, stating that Greenville used to designate one employee to the cemetery.
Councilman Bobby Burnett entered the conversation. "I believe that the city owns that cemetery and if you start saying that an individual can buy those lots and they own it, then what will stop a person from going down there and pitching a tent up and moving there?" Councilman Burnett asked. "From what I understand … they're [the crews] paid out of that cemetery fund that's maintaining itself. I'd want to ask what would we want to do with the money if we don't want to spend it on the upkeep of our cemetery?" He further made a motion to table the issue and open a workshop to allow the public to participate, though the motion died for a lack of a second.
Mayor Brown continued to add that she doesn't believe the council is in a position to make decisions at the moment, reiterating her initial questions to the attorney. "My personal [opinion], if I own it, it's mine. I'm responsible for it."
Mayor Brown also began questioning the cemetery fund. "It has been explained to me that currently our money from the plots that we sell goes into a special revenue fund; a special revenue fund, meaning any moneys that go into that fund can only be used related to the cemetery," said Mayor Brown, who says she asked about the fund several times and talked with an auditor about it. "My questions has always been, 'the money is sitting there, why can't we use it for things that we need,' or bills or whatever. Just things of the town, operations of the town," she continued. "It has been told to me the reason we're not able to use it is because it's set up in a special revenue fund. So then my question would be, 'okay, how do we change that?"
Mayor Brown continued to ask if the special revenue fund is able to be dissolved, with plots sales going into the general fund to be allocated "to that department like we do our fire department, those other departments that we have that are funded through out general fund."
"Are we able to do that for the cemetery or are we required to keep it in this special revenue fund?" She asked, directing the question toward Attorney Reid. Councilman Malone began conversation, stating he thinks "we're going way, way down the road too far." He recommended the first step to be establishing a deed process, "then once we figure out the type of deeds, once it's being recorded … then we can get into the maintenance part." Mayor Brown added that she was inquiring with her previous statements, stating "I would like him [Attorney Reid] to research everything so he's not coming, piece-milling … We'd be here all year answering all the questions."
Councilman Malone continued: "Seems to me, somehow or another, there could be exceptions made when certain people want things done and I just have a problem with that. We need to have a standard procedure. We don't need to make exceptions for this [or] that unless it comes before this council and is unanimous. I'm saying that because it seems like a lawn mower was purchased with funds from that cemetery money and I think that was before you came on board, Mr. John [Reid]," who stated he knows nothing about a lawn mower."
"We need to make sure that if we're going to state something that can't be done, then it needs to be uniform," Councilman Malone said. "It don't need to be, 'we'll, we're going to go ahead and do it this time because we want to,' and that's what has been done. You say we can't use the money for anything, but that [what is] related to the cemetery. Well, I think in the discussion, it was justified by saying, 'well, it's used to mow the cemetery.' But, it's used to mow the city also."
Attorney Reid suggested the council members to email all relevant questions to him, allowing him to begin research on the issue.
Afterward, Councilman Malone added that he doesn't like "getting negative slack from the citizens when they really don't understand what's what because we don't understand what's what," he said. "So, don't give me a bunch of slack, but you don't participate in this council meeting and know what's what."
Town Manager Edward Dean joined in on the conversation, stating that there have been times where he has received calls during the summer months regarding the grass if it is not cut, not necessarily mad or disappointed, he states, but crying. "If there has been one issue that has received the most amount of passion coming out of my office, it's this cemetery issue," said Dean. "This is one of these issues that tugs at people's heart, and it's something that people are extremely passionate about. Those phone calls [I receive regarding the cemetery] are really difficult, and probably the most difficult phone calls that I've received in my time here. We're going to get the quantitative information, but I would argue that the qualitative information that's going to come out of here is perhaps even more important than the quantitative because we're dealing with human beings, we're dealing with their lives, with their loved ones, people that mean something to them and quite frankly, people who can no longer speak for themselves."
"I make this my top priority during the summer to make sure that the grass is cut and manicured and it's a bright spot in Greenville," Dean continued, asking the council to "be sensitive" to people's feelings and people's loved ones. "This is just not a business transaction," He concluded. "This is about family here."
"I feel the same way – I feel just as passionate about being able to maintain the cemetery as I do the lake, the city park so when you get to considering people's passion, some people are just as passionate about our appearance in this town so thats' what we're here for; to address all issues," Councilman Malone replied. "We don't have an option to bypass what we want. We're responsible; we took an oath to effect of all the issues of this town, to include the cemetery, to include the city pond, to include the roads, the streets. So, that argument, I think, is well taken, but again, it's something that we need to address."
Councilwoman Brandi Tillman also added: "It just seems like to me – I'm not trying to be insensitive to anybody or anything – but it just seems like they take more precedence over the dead than the living. We have grass that grows up where kids walk. Snakes are everywhere, they can get bitten and they can be dead. So how do you measure that? How do you just say, 'oh we have to keep up the cemetery because it's an eyesore.' What about the people that are walking around [unintelligible] everyday? We have to think about everybody, those are eye sores as well. We just cant pick and choose and say 'Oh, we have to do this because it's a cemetery.' People, you know, they come here. They have all different stories. I understand that, but we have to abide these rules for all citizens, not just for the ones for the Greenville cemetery."
Concluding the meeting, Mayor Brown made it clear to the people and members of the council that did not intend to be disrespectful or dishonor loved ones or the memory of a loved one. "That's not my intention, but I definitely see this issue needs to be addressed from a policy and procedure standpoint and just an operational standpoint," She stated, reminding citizens of their ability to participate through Zoom and making clear the council is in no way attempting to keep citizens away from the issue.
"We will continue doing what we've been doing," Mayor Brown concluded. "Our public works department will try its best to maintain the cemetery, as well as all of the other property along that end of town and I would like to echo what Councilwoman Tillman said to Mr. Dean. Please, just like you get those 10 or 15 calls about the cemetery, if you take that very seriously and you prioritize it, please do the same with the calls and the emails regarding other areas of our town and prioritize those areas as well. We have to maintain the entire town, not a particular part of town. We have a lot of children who are out, school is out."
No action was taken on this item.