[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Princeton
as Title 8, Ch. 5, of the City Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Purpose. The Princeton City Cemetery is owned and maintained by the
City of Princeton for the benefit of all citizens. Definite rules
and regulations must be set up by the Common Council to insure proper
maintenance and beauty and to prevent abuse and destruction. The following
rules and regulations are set forth in this chapter to govern the
cemetery. The City reserves the right to amend or change any of these
ordinances to conform with newly developed cemetery practices.
B.
Management. The City Cemetery shall be subject to the control of
the Common Council, and the Council may, from time to time, acquire
lands for cemetery purposes as the same required, contiguous to said
described premises, in the manner provided by law. The Council shall
have full power and authority to exercise general supervision over
said cemetery and shall regulate the manner of burial and shall designate
who shall be buried in the public grounds.
C.
Sexton. The Common Council shall appoint a Sexton and shall prescribe
his/her duties and fix the salary to be received by him/her for the
discharge of such duties.
[Amended 12-5-2019 by Ord. No. 05-2019]
A.
Custodian of funds.
(1)
The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall receive all funds collected
from the proceeds of sales of lots, assessments and gifts pertaining
to the City Cemetery and all appropriations of the Common Council
to be used for the purchase of grounds, the care and improvement of
the cemetery and avenues leading thereto and operating expenses.
(2)
The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall also receive all funds
advanced for the perpetual care of certain lots, blocks or parts thereof
as have been so paid for.
B.
Management. The Sexton shall have direct supervision and management
of the cemetery under the rules and regulations as enacted by the
Common Council.
A.
Price of lots. The Common Council shall, by resolution, fix a price on all lots to be sold in the municipal cemetery, as prescribed in Chapter 182, Fees.
B.
Sale of lots. Persons or their agents desiring to purchase a lot
in the cemetery shall be referred to the Sexton or to his/her duly
authorized agent. The Sexton will have available suitable plats showing
size and price of lots, and such other information as may be required,
and will render assistance to those desiring to make lot purchases.
Upon having made a lot selection, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
will issue a deed to the lot in the form prescribed by the City Attorney.
The deed shall be signed by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
and Mayor and sealed with the corporate seal and acknowledged so as
to entitle it to be recorded. The purchaser may record this deed with
the County Register of Deeds if desired, the cost thereof to be paid
by the purchaser.
A.
Ownership rights.
(1)
The lot owner or his/her authorized agent shall have the right to
use a lot or portion of a lot for burial purposes only in accordance
with the terms of the cemetery rules and regulations.
(2)
Upon full payment of the purchase price of a lot, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
will issue a cemetery deed, and the deed will be recorded in the records
of the City as evidence of ownership of the lot. All lots are exempt
from taxation and cannot be seized for debt (except those owed to
the cemetery) nor can they be mortgaged.
(3)
The lot owner shall have acquired the lot for interment of himself
and members of his/her family. However, the lot owner may grant written
permission (which must be notarized and placed on file with the City
Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer for the burial of other persons.
B.
Burial of family members. Unless otherwise directed in writing and
filed with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer, the lot owner,
his/her devisees, or his/her heirs, the cemetery will permit the interment
of members of his/her family at the request of any interested person
upon proof of eligibility for burial as follows:
(1)
The surviving spouse of the lot owner shall have the first right
to interment or to direct the right of interment.
(2)
When there is no surviving spouse, the devisees, or heirs of the
owners, may, by agreement in writing, determine who among them shall
have the right of interment or direction for interment, which agreement
shall be filed with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer.
(3)
In the event the owner, his/her devisees or heirs shall not have
arranged for future interments, then the devisees or the heirs, as
the case may be, of such owner, shall have the right to interment
in order of their need.
C.
Ownership determination. All burial rights in cemetery lots purchased
from the City occupy the same position as real estate at the death
of the owner. Only such persons whose names appear on the cemetery
records of the City will be recognized as owners or part owners of
lots. In case of the death of a lot owner, when the cemetery lot is
disposed of by a will, and when ownership is to be determined, a certified
copy of the will must be delivered to the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
before the City will recognize the change of ownership. If the deceased
lot owner left no will, satisfactory proof of descent must be provided.
It is recommended that lot owners, in making their wills, include
a provision covering the cemetery lots and devise same to one person.
D.
Resale or transfer. Lot owners may not resell or transfer their lots
or parts of lots except as outlined below:
(1)
The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall enter in the record
kept for that purpose all deeds of transfer and reconveyance of cemetery
lots. No such reconveyance shall be received and recorded by the Sexton
until a fee has been paid therefor. Said fee shall go into the general
cemetery fund.
(2)
Reconveyance of lots or parts of lots may be made only by written
application therefor upon blanks furnished by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer.
Such application shall be executed by the owner(s) of the lots, or,
if the owner(s) is deceased, by the legal heirs. The application shall
state the lot and block number.
(3)
No owner of a cemetery lot shall sell, transfer or assign the same
or the unused portion thereof to any other person without the City's
consent. The City shall have a right of first refusal to repurchase
such lot or part thereof at the current grave price. If the owner
of any lot or part of a lot should sell or transfer the same without
giving notice to the City, except through probate, of such transaction,
such sale or transfer shall be null and void.
E.
Repossessed lots. Whenever possible, repossessed lots will be used
for burials before new areas of the cemetery are used or platted.
F.
Maintenance rights. The City reserves the right for its workers and
those persons necessary to the performance of normal cemetery operation
to enter upon or cross over any lot in the cemetery in the performance
of such duties.
G.
Liability. The City, or its employees, assumes no liability for damages
to property or of person, or for physical or mental suffering arising
out of the performance of its normal operations; or for loss by vandalism
or other acts beyond its reasonable control.
H.
Alterations. The City reserves the right to alter, change or close
alleys, roadways, water mains, and other physical public properties
of the cemetery.
A.
Plants and decorations.[1]
(1)
Planting restricted. The planting of trees and shrubs by private
individuals is prohibited. Any planting must be done by cemetery personnel.[2]
(2)
Planters. Planters must be placed on the side or end of monument.
(3)
Liability. Decorations and planters are placed at the risk of the
persons making such placement. The City shall not be liable for any
damage or loss of any plantings, decorations or planters.
(4)
Enclosures. No hedges, fences or enclosures of any kind will be permitted
on or around lots. Wooden boxes, wire containers, glass jars, bottles,
toys, cans and other such objects may not be placed on lots and, if
so placed, will be removed by the City without notice.
(5)
Artificial flowers. A limited amount of artificial flowers displayed
in the cemetery must be in containers and placed on the extension.
Any artificial flowers not in containers will be removed from the
cemetery by the Sexton.
(6)
Wire stands. Wreaths on wire stands must also be placed at the head
of the lot near the monument or marker.
(7)
Fresh flowers. Fresh cut flowers may be used anytime and will remain
until, in the judgment of the Sexton, they become wilted or unsightly.
Containers for cut flowers are to be a type level with the ground
surface and not holding water when not in use or of the type to be
disposed of when the flowers are removed.[3]
(8)
Mounds. No mound shall be raised upon any grave above the general
level of the lot.
B.
Landscaping. All landscaping, care of lots and other work in the
cemetery will be done by the City, but it is desired that each lot
owner feel free to consult with those in charge of the cemetery at
all times. Their advice will be cheerfully given without charge and
may be of much value to those contemplating the purchase of or improvements
to cemetery lots. The City shall retain the ownership of all aisles,
including monument aisles.[4]
A.
The cemetery will be open to visitors at all times between the hours
of 8:00 a.m. and 1/2 hour after the official sunset. Permission to
enter the cemetery at any other time must be obtained from the Sexton,
Common Council or City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer.
B.
Children under 16 years of age will be admitted only when accompanied
by parents or guardians.
C.
Persons or picnic parties with refreshments or alcoholic beverages
are not permitted within any municipal cemetery.
D.
Dogs will only be allowed in the cemetery when confined in a vehicle.
E.
Firearms will not be allowed in the cemetery except in conjunction
with military funerals. At all other times, firearms, bows and arrows,
slingshots and other like articles will not be allowed. Driving golf
balls is prohibited.
F.
Visitors are required to use the walks and drive whenever possible
and shall not pick any flowers (either wild or cultivated), injure
any shrub, tree or plant, or mar or deface any monument, stone or
structure in the cemetery.
G.
Vehicles traveling within the cemetery shall not exceed 15 miles
per hour. No vehicle shall be driven except on roads designated for
that purpose, nor shall such be driven in a reckless manner.
H.
No riding of bicycles, motorbikes, snowmobiles, motorcycles or other
such vehicles will be allowed in the cemetery unless such vehicles
are present in conjunction with cemetery business.
A.
Interments.
(1)
Interments will be made only during daylight hours.
(2)
All interments shall be made in a permanent outer container excluding
the use of wood.
(3)
All graves shall be dug by the City under the direction of the Sexton
or his/her authorized agent. Depth of graves shall conform to the
Wisconsin State Board of Health specifications. Seeding will be done
by the grave digger.[1]
(4)
No burial will be permitted until a legal burial transit permit has
been presented to the Sexton. The interment of bodies of persons who
have died of a contagious disease shall be in strict accordance with
the rules of the State Board of Health.
(5)
There will be no responsibility on the part of the City for the protection
and maintenance of flowers, wreaths, emblems, etc., used in conjunction
with funerals.
(6)
When definite information for locating a grave is not available 36
hours prior to grave preparation to meet the time requested for interment,
the cemetery may exercise its best judgment in making a location in
order that the requested time for interment may be met. The cemetery
assumes no responsibility for any error or inconvenience of such location
and an additional charge will be made for any change requested.
(7)
The Sexton or his/her agent shall, whenever possible, be given 36
hours' notice to assure the opening and preparation of a grave prior
to interment. Banning unforeseen or other untoward circumstances,
such grave shall be opened and prepared in time for interment.
(8)
The interment of two bodies in one grave will not be allowed, except
in case of a mother and infant, twin children, or two children buried
at the same time, or in special circumstances with the approval of
the Sexton or his/her agent. Two cremains may be buried on one lot.
Only two markers will be allowed on grave space of which one shall
be flush with the ground and of a size which meets the approval of
the Sexton.
(9)
Aboveground burials will not be allowed.
(10)
Pets or other animals shall not be buried in the cemetery.
B.
Disinterments.
(1)
Disinterments of bodies from graves in the cemetery will be made
only by the City in accordance with the requirements of the State
Board of Health. Charges set by the City for removal must be paid
in advance.
(2)
Lot owners, or their heirs, desiring graves opened may secure the
necessary disinterment permit from the state and deliver the same
to the Cemetery Sexton. All removals will be made by the City under
the supervision of a licensed embalmer.
(3)
For sanitary reasons, graves will not be reopened for inspection
except for an official investigation.
A.
Grave markers and foundations will be set only by the monument company
according to regulations specified by the City. Monuments shall be
no higher than 36 inches in height. Except as herein otherwise provided,
under no conditions will the City construct monument or marker bases
or erect monument or markers on bases. Grave markers shall be set
with a suitable cement foundation with at least a four-inch wash for
trimming of grass. The City reserves the right to require the construction
of a foundation of such size, material and design as will provide
ample insurance against settlement or injury to the stone work. The
top of the concrete foundation will be constructed flush with the
ground line. Grave markers will be set on a straight line on the back
side of the lot. Whenever possible, all markers will be set with a
five-inch margin, with 12 inches to 15 inches on at least one end.
Verbal permission is required and shall be available from the office
of the Sexton or his/her assistant.
B.
The setting of monuments, stones and markers and the transportation
of all tools, materials, etc., within the cemetery ground shall be
subject to the supervision and control of the Sexton. Unless special
arrangements are made with the Sexton, such work shall be conducted
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays,
except on national holidays. Whenever possible, at least 24 hours'
notice shall be given to the Sexton that said work is to take place.
Heavy trucking will not be permitted within the cemetery when, in
the opinion of the Sexton, such work might cause damage to the driveways.
Except when special permission is obtained, all work as outlined above
shall be completed and debris removed immediately.
C.
The City reserves the right to refuse permission to erect any monument
work not in keeping with the good appearance of the grounds. The size
of the monument and/or stone work must be given to the Sexton or his/her
agent and approved before said work will be permitted on a lot. All
monuments must be set in line with other monuments so far as possible
as directed by the Cemetery Sexton or his/her assistant.
D.
Stone work or monumental work, once placed on its foundation, shall
not be removed, except by permission of the Cemetery Sexton.
E.
The lot must be paid in full or other assurance given of payment
before markers and monuments are set.
F.
Temporary markers must be removed or replaced with a permanent marker
within one year.
G.
Any additional head or foot markers must be set flush with the ground.
Bronze government markers may be placed on the backside of a family
stone.
Construction of vaults and mausoleums is prohibited.
A.
The planting of trees and shrubs on newly purchased lots or parts
of lots will not be permitted.[2]
B.
Potted plants may be set on lots, without disturbing the sod, on
special occasions, such as Memorial Day, birthday, anniversary, etc.,
but if not removed within five days will be picked up and destroyed
if unsightly. Other potted plants shall only be placed in pedestal
or raised planters.[3]
C.
Individual flower beds of growing plants are permitted but must be
of a reasonable size. In case of doubt, the Sexton should be consulted.
If these beds are not maintained and when they become unsightly or
undesirable, they will be removed by the City.
D.
Plants or flowers may not be taken up or removed from the cemetery
or cuttings removed from plants without permission from the Sexton
or under his/her direction.
E.
Vines that interfere with the proper care of lots or graves and injure
the grass will be removed when found objectionable.
A.
It is urged that lot owners interest themselves in the present and
future care of their lots, as a single neglected lot mars the beauty
of the entire cemetery.
B.
All fees and charges as outlined in the current schedule of fees
and charges are payable at the office of the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer,
where receipts will be issued for the amounts paid.
C.
A schedule of the fees and charges, as established by the Common
Council, shall be on file in the office of the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
and Sexton. Such schedule may change from time to time without advance
notice to conform with current economic conditions.
D.
The City will take reasonable precautions to protect all private
property, lots and/or grave owners' property in the cemetery from
loss or damage, but it distinctly disclaims all responsibility for
loss or damage from causes beyond its control and especially from
the acts of thieves, vandals and rioters and from all acts of Providence,
including wind, tornadoes, hail, snow, rain and frost, whether the
damage be indirect or proximate.
