Cemetery now under township ownership

Oak Grove Cemetery has completed its transition of ownership from a privately-owned entity to become the property of Manchester Township. Volunteer Barry Allen showing off sign after it was repainted a few years ago.

Two years after the Oak Grove Cemetery Board approached Manchester Township to incorporate the cemetery as township property, the final paperwork from the state of Michigan has been completed to finish the transition of ownership of the cemetery, located just west of the village on Austin Road.

The cemetery now officially belongs to Manchester Township, but a small advisory committee, comprised of former Oak Grove Board members Michael Tindall and John Schaible, will be continuing to help the township with procedures during the coming months.

"I couldn't be more pleased, with the cooperation and the dedication that the township has shown," Tindall said. "They don't want to take it over and change everything, they just want to run it the best way possible. The township has been very open to our suggestions and advice, and when all is said and done, I think that it's going to be a change for the better."

The township will maintain a beautification account, that will not be used for operating expenses. Rather, it will be utilized for what Tindall termed "unusual" maintenance — new fencing along Austin Road, work on the building, and eventually, repaving the deteriorating roads inside the cemetery. "This way people can still donate to the cemetery, to help out with those types of special projects," Tindall explained.

Tindall also expressed high praise to former supervisor Gene DeRossett and current supervisor Ron Milkey, for their cooperation as thie project went along. "They want the cemetery to continue to be a large part of the community," he said, "a final resting place for community members and their families."

By law, a township or other municipality must take over cemeteries within its jurisdiction, if that cemetery can no longer generate enough money to cover maintenance costs. However, to most people, the changes will be invisible. Mike Miner will remain as the sexton; however he is now a township employee. Help has also been hired to assist Mike with the mowing and other heavy tasks. Tindall also expressed his appreciation to Mike for his incredible dedication during the decades he has served the cemetery board.

"This wasn't something we wanted to do," Tindall said, "but even though careful planning over the years enabled the cemetery board to continue operations as normal for a time, we couldn't continue to do it indefinitely."

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.