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The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this policy, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

Cemetery means any cemetery owned and operated by the Village.

Cemetery Board means a committee consisting of no less than three or more than five individuals appointed by the Village Council.

Cremation Section means an area of the cemetery reserved for cremated remains only.

Double marker means a monument which is larger and is placed upon two graves or gravesites.

Family monument means a monument which is larger and is placed upon a family lot.

Family lot means a lot for a family or some other group which consists of at least 8 individual graves or gravesites in a single block and owned by a single person.

Flower urn means a receptacle for the planting of flowers made of durable concrete, granite, marble, standard bronze, or other material equivalent in durability approved by the Sexton.

Gravesite means a land area four feet wide by 9 feet long.

Grave means a gravesite at which there has been an interment.

Interment means burial of human remains.

Lot means a land area 16 feet wide by 18 feet long which equals a maximum of 8 gravesites.

Marker means a memorial made of durable granite, marble, standard bronze, or other material equivalent in durability approved by the Sexton. Flush markers are level with the turf while bevel or slant markers extend above the turf.

Monument means a tombstone or memorial which extends above the turf made of durable granite, marble, standard bronze, or other material equivalent in durability, approved by the Sexton.

Resident means a person who:

1. Is an eligible voter or could effectively register to be an eligible voter in the Village;

2. Claims a homestead exemption, as defined by state law, on property in the Village, for which the person paid Village property taxes in the preceding year and which the person still owns;

3. Is a minor child or lives within the Village as a dependent of a person who qualifies as a resident;

4. Has qualified as a resident under subsection (1) or (2) of this definition and moved directly from the Village to a nursing home, licensed under the Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act, Michigan Public Act NO. 218 of 1979 (MCL 400.701 et seq.), or some successor statue and remained continuously in that or some other licensed nursing home; or

5. Has qualified as a resident under subsection (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this definition during the preceding six months.

Sexton of the Cemetery means the individual appointed by the Cemetery Board to manage a cemetery.

 

Liability:

Neither the Sexton nor the Village employees working in the cemetery shall be liable for floral arrangements, decorations, monuments, or makers. The Village shall not be liable for damage of any kind that may occur to such items in the normal course of cemetery operations.  No officer, agent, or employee of the Village shall be liable for any damage which may appear to any persons as a result of any act, decision or other consequence or occurrence arising out of the discharge of duties or responsibilities pursuant to this policy. The Village shall not be held responsible for damages by elements, acts of God, common enemies, thieves, vandals, strikers, malicious makers, explosions, unavoidable accidents, invasion,  insurrections, riots, or the order of any military or civil authority, whether the damages may be direct or collateral.

 

The cemetery shall generally open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. for visitation each day; all such times are subject to change according to the discretion of the Village council. Any person who gains entrance or is found in the cemetery after 9:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. the next day may be treated as a trespasser and prosecuted under this policy. Village Hall office hours generally are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.