White Lake moves to formalize its cemetery policies

The White Lake Township Board of Trustees recently voted unanimously introduce provisions of a new Cemetery Ordinance.

According to White Lake Township Clerk Terry Lilley, the cemetery ordinance language was drafted to replace a policy which had previously governed township cemetery operations.

“All we used to have were general policies for cemeteries,” he said. “Now, we have formulated it in an ordinance in ordinance form. It’s just a more formal presentation.”

There would be no major changes made to the rules governing cemeteries. The new ordinance will be very similar to the rules now in effect under general policies.

However, one stipulation involving cemetery plot markers was clarified during a recent township board meeting. While four cremations would be allowed in one plot, only one marker per plot would be permitted. The stacking of two vaults per plot would also be permitted and authorized in the proposed ordinance.

Lilley mentioned that township officials are looking to adopt a different fee schedule involving the way money for the sales of plots and the opening and closing of graves is transmitted, especially with regards to how money is collected and disbursed to the township.

“We want to be more efficient,” he said. “Previously the funeral home would first disburse the check to the sexton. Now the money will be coming through the township first, and then we will disburse the check to the sexton.”