City Council vote approves cemetery-wide enforcement of regulations, new hours

The City Council voted to accept the changes proposed by the Cemetery Board regarding

the rules and regulations of the Kimball Cemetery at their meeting Thursday, August 22.

The most noticeable change to the rules and regulations concerning the cemetery concerned

the visitation hours.

"It's going to open all the time with the proposed changes,"

City council member Ann Warner said.

Kimball Police Chief Darren Huff was hesitant to support the idea of leaving the cemetery

unlocked at all hours of the night because of the chance of increased criminal activity if the gates are left unlocked.

"I would anticipate that causing problems," Huff said. " I know it has been a problem

in the past with kids in the cemetery, and there was another cemetery also in the panhandle and as an initiation, they taped a freshman to a tree in the cemetery naked after dark so I would strongly urge that you guys consider that as a potential issue for criminal activity."

Council member John Morrison

responded to Huff's statements

pointing out that keeping

the gates locked would not prevent someone from breaking

in should they so desire to do so.

"Criminal activity is illegal no matter what," Morrison said.

Warner put the subject to rest by placing the issue in the hands of the Cemetery Board.

"Right now, it's without hours, and it's open at all times. When the Cemetery Board has their meeting, if they decide they want to change that, they can bring it back to us," Warner

said.

Other changes include the extension of time that decorations

can be left on grave sites during any Holiday season from five days to 10 days or until "they become wilted, discolored,

or an eyesore following

the Holiday."

Decorations and flowers placed on graves during the regular season will be allowed to stay in place until, by the judgement of the Cemetery Caretaker, they become "unsightly,

detrimental or diseased."

The board also voted to allow temporary vases for grave sites in all sections of the cemetery as long as they are placed to the sides of the grave markers and are stuck in the ground.

The new rules and regulations

were approved unanimously

by the City Council and will take effect throughout all sections of the cemetery immediately.