Dick Lowrey

DALTON, Ga. -- Margie Painter said the City Council's plans to enforce cemetery rules will return dignity to where many of her friends and family members are buried.

"Our biggest concern (now) is that it is just unsightly and it doesn't have the same character as the original part of West Hill (Cemetery)," she said.

City officials plan to start enforcing the city cemetery ordinance. Cemetery rules have existed for many years, but previous leaders ignored them, said Councilman Dick Lowrey.

Mr. Lowrey said some residents recently complained that graves weren't being maintained according to the law.

Staff Photo by Jake Daniels/Chattanooga Times Free Press
A bow-tie clad mailbox marks a grave site at West Hill Cemetery in Dalton, Ga. The city of Dalton is ramping up enforcement of cemetery ordinances that restrict decorations on graves. Officials says extraneous decorations placed at graves are causing the West Hill Cemetery to be dangerous, both to mourners and maintenance workers who must cut grass and maintain the grounds.

"There are some plots out there, or some graves, that are being covered up with toys and junk and not being very well cared for," he said. "We feel like the whole cemetery needs to be kept up."

The City Council held a first reading Monday night to update the cemetery ordinance. They plan to adopt the revised ordinance at the first meeting in April. Plot owners will have 60 days to remove items that aren't allowed -- until May 17. After, the city will remove those unauthorized items -- like mailboxes and other decorations -- from the cemetery, said Mr. Lowrey.

City Public Works Director Benny Dunn said the city's revising the ordinance mainly to allow for upright monuments in the newer section of the cemetery. Original language called for flat monuments only, but residents have been allowed to install other monuments over the years, he said.

Resident Randy Mayfield said he supports the city's efforts.

"I believe that the cemetery is going to be made to look better," he said.

Mr. Lowrey said only a few plot owners, as few as 1 or 2 percent, will have to remove decorations or make changes as the city steps up enforcement.

Also at the meeting, Councilman Charlie Bethel announced he would resign immediately so he can run for the District 4 seat in the state House of Representatives in November 2010. The city will hold a special election to replace him July 20.

PDF: March 15 Dalton City Council meeting - West Hill Cemetery Policies and Procedures