MOUNT ORAB, Ohio — Proper maintenance and upkeep of cemeteries can result in significant costs to villages and townships responsible for them, a financial responsibility that continues to grow.
After inheriting the Mount Orab Cemetery and the historic Star Lake Cemetery from Green Township in 2020, the Village of Mount Orab is finding out just how costly the maintenance and upkeep of cemeteries can be.
In 2021, the first full year the Village of Mount Orab had financial responsibility of Mount Orab Cemetery and Star Lake Cemetery, the cost for just upkeep and maintenance of the cemeteries totaled just over $55,575, according to information provided by Mount Orab Village Council Member Jay Shaw, who also serves on the village council’s Cemetery Subcommittee.
So far this year, the cost of maintenance and upkeep of the cemeteries in Mount Orab has been over $57,600 with an expected $6,000 additional to be paid out before the end of the year.
To help with the costs associated with the maintenance and operation of the cemeteries located in Mount Orab, the Village of Mount Orab has turned to the voters.
The Village of Mount Orab has placed a one-mill, 10-year tax levy issue for maintaining and operating cemeteries on the ballot for the Nov. 8 General Election.
With hopes of gaining votes in favor of passing the new cemetery levy, some Mount Orab residents have joined to form a Mount Orab Cemetery Committee. The committee comprised of people who are deeply concerned about the future of Mount Orab Cemetery and Star Lake Cemetery includes Tom Hutchinson, Dave Long, Ed Cierley, and Lloyd Dunn.
As a lifelong resident of Mount Orab, Dave Long’s family roots run very deep in Mount Orab Cemetery.
Long grew up in Mount Orab, and he was quick to join the Mount Orab Cemetery Committee when alerted of the need for additional funds to maintain and operate the cemetery. He is also the Wilson Sroufe VFW Post No. 9772 Commander, so the many graves of local veterans are also of great concern to him.
“My family is buried here back to my grandparents,” said Long. “With that family connection to the cemetery, and as a veteran, I believe the memorials honoring the veterans who are buried in this cemetery are something we all should be concerned about.”
Ed Cierley also has family buried in Mount Orab Cemetery. He moved to Mount Orab with his family in the late 1950s, and recently joined the new Mount Orab Cemetery Committee with hopes of getting voters to vote in favor of the 1-mill, 10-year levy during the Nov. 8 election.
“I think it’s important for the upkeep and maintenance of the cemetery,” Cierley said of the new cemetery levy issue appearing on the ballot.
There is also some deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed at the Mount Orab Cemetery, and sinking graves and gravestones has resulted in the need for additional repairs.
There are also the two structures in the cemetery, a chapel that can be used by the public, and a storage building that also includes a Veterans Memorial.
Dunn did repairs to the chapel located on the cemetery grounds, but there’s much more work to be done in addition to regular maintenance, including repairs to the storage building.
With costs expected to grow in coming years, the Mount Orab Cemetery Committee is hoping voters will recognize the need for additional funds to operate and maintain the cemeteries within the village and vote in favor of the new cemetery levy during the Nov. 8 General Election.
According to Hutchinson, if the levy is passed it will bring in approximately $70,000 per year.
The cemetery expense is on-going, but rather than placing a continuing levy issue on the ballot, the Village of Mount Orab went with a 10-year levy.
Wondering how much the levy would raise your property taxes if passed? You can find out by visiting the Brown County Auditor’s new tax levy estimator.
Brown County Auditor Jill A. Hall recently announced the launch of the auditor’s new component to their property search website. A tax levy estimator feature will appear on the parcel information showing information regarding a proposed levy that is specific to the particular property being viewed. These cost estimates should be considered neither an endorsement nor an opposition to any particular proposed tax levy.
“We hope that this information will prove beneficial and help you make an informed decision come Election Day,” commented Auditor Hall. “You can check this out by going to Brown County Real Estate Search https://realestate.browncountyauditor.org/ and searching for your particular property.”
According to information provided by the Village of Mount Orab, the Mount Orab Cemetery was inherited by the Village of Mount Orab at the beginning of 2020 from Green Township, taking on the cemetery was unexpected and there was no prior notice that would have allowed for budgetary planning.
The Mount Orab Cemetery Committee has ordered signs to be placed around the village with hopes of getting Mount Orab voters to vote in favor of the levy.
“Mount Orab is a growing and progressive village. I believe that it is a civic responsibility of citizens and village council to provide cemetery services,” said Tom Hutchinson.
“Please consider this levy as an opportunity to continue the long-lasting heritage of the Mount Orab Cemetery,” Hutchinson added. “Please vote yes.”