NEW PALESTINE — When Kristyn Niederhaus lost her daughter Brynnley, 6, to a brain tumor in 2021, the family took solace knowing the child was laid to rest at the New Palestine Cemetery, where they could visit her in a quiet, beautiful setting as often as they wanted.
Since then, Niederhaus and other community residents have reached out to tell the Daily Reporter that, over the past year, those who are governing the cemetery are not doing their jobs properly, stating that the grounds are “a mess and unkept.”
“This is supposed to be a place for loved ones to find comfort,”Niederhaus said. “Instead it looks terrible.”
Niederhaus says that, when her family first selected New Palestine Cemetery for their daughter’s final resting place, Larry Jonas was in charge and everything was well-kept. She also says that since Jonas stepped down about a year ago, the new volunteer board has not been doing the job.
“The grounds crew is one guy who was grandfathered in,” Niederhaus said. “He barely cuts the grass anymore and quite frankly it looks like terrible.”
Niederhaus says she’s ashamed and hurt to know her daughter’s grave is not being cared for properly and that she and other family members have to bring their own trimming tools, lawn mowers and cleaning supplies to care for the area themselves.
“It’s bad enough she had to die, but she could be better taken care of by the people we trusted to look out for the graves and make sure the area doesn’t look bad,” she said.
In addition to the grass being extremely high and unkept, Niederhaus noted there are many weeds.
“My father-in-law personally puts grass seed down every spring and fall because no one does it,” she said. “Today he had to go out there and cut the grass himself and then a month ago I cut it myself.”
The Indiana State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service is the state agency that regulates the practices of cemeteries. The Indiana Historical Bureau is responsible for receiving and providing public access to County Cemetery Commission Reports. Some cemeteries in Hancock County are governed by boards of directors or other governing bodies.
The New Palestine Cemetery Board is composed of volunteers Dennis Litson, Rob Walker, Ron Johnson, Stacy Willis and Larry Garriott. The board recently hired Becky Young as its manager with hopes of improving organization.
Litson noted that Walker was the board president and manager the past year and that Litson was just recently appointed board treasurer.
“We went in the hole last year quite a bit from expenditures,” Litson said. “We’re not operating in the red, but we went in the hole quite a bit last year, which was unusual.”
Litson noted all the cemetery board members volunteer their time and are elected to serve by the board when there is an opening. The Daily Reporter asked Litson for a copy of their operating expenses and details of their funding, but he refused to share the information.
“Look, we’re not bad people on this board and we’re not misappropriating funds like some people have suggested,” Litson said. “It’s not that at all. We’ve just been dealing with a mowing contractor who has been dealing with something health-wise.”
Liston also noted they’ve had a tough year controlling the weeds (Foxtail) and that treatment hasn’t done much good and, with it being so close to the area’s first frost, they should just wait before spending more money.
“It’s expensive, very expensive to treat that out there,” Litson said. “We’re suppose to manage the money wisely and not just throw it around, but you know it takes a lot of money to operate things out there. We’re trying to save funds for when we start expanding the cemetery across the road in a few years.”
Niederhaus said it’s been heartbreaking to visit their daughter’s grave and see things like grass cutting tracks on the grave site.
“It’s extremely painful and aggravating and I’m ashamed that that’s how her resting place looks,” Niederhaus said. “When she was first buried there it looked beautiful, and it’s just been this whole past year where it’s looks terrible and gone down the drain. It’s been very disheartening.”
After talking with the Daily Reporter, Litson said he decided it was time to get a new mowing and grounds care crew.
“I get it. I understand why people are upset because it doesn’t look good out there, but we’re trying to take care of it and we’re on top of it,” Litson said.
