LAKE COUNTY— The Lake County Civil Grand Jury final report for 2022-2023 included a theme that has not been updated for 15 years: the cemetery districts.
With an intro titled “In Memory of our Buried History,” the first chapter of the 300+ page report is dedicated to the history of cemeteries and the importance of their maintenance in order to preserve the county’s history.
The Grand Jury met with the Boards of Directors of the six cemetery districts and visited the cemeteries in their charge. They reviewed the function of special districts in providing cemetery services and the role that the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has in monitoring and recommending best practices to the districts.
The reports notes that “cemeteries are fascinating places. They are full of history and beautiful artwork. They are truly outdoor museums. You can learn so much about your community by learning about your cemetery. Iconic people of multiple eras are buried there.”
Today, rising costs and fewer burials make it challenging for cemeteries to preserve their grounds and keep them in good condition. Property taxes are an important source of revenue for the cemeteries in Lake County. The Grand Jury has assessed state requirements for maintaining the cemetery grounds in their inspections of each of the six Lake County Cemeteries – Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Middletown, Glenbrook (Cobb), Lower Lake and Hartley (Lakeport).
The district can charge fees to cover the actual cost of services it provides or regulations it enforces.
According to the report, the Kelseyville Cemetery District has two cemeteries to maintain and many historical graves to preserve per California Government Code Section 56430. Their cemetery board, with five serving members, meets monthly. The main bulk of new business is related to maintenance issues.
The Upper Lake Cemetery District counts on volunteers for maintenance. Court-ordered community service workers may be assigned to assist the cemetery maintenance. There is an ongoing project to obtain markers or plaques for unmarked graves and to replace wooden headstones in the older section. The cemetery has a well system and observes water conservation.
The Middletown Cemetery District was formed in 1966 to provide cemetery services to residents, families and taxpayers of the district. There are currently five members of the board of directors, involved in the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery.
The Glenbrook Cemetery District was created in 1976 from land that was previously part of the Middletown and Kelseyville Cemetery Districts. There are endowment funds in their budget to service the district’s needs. Part of the budget is met by the services and fees charged for burials. Most of their funding is provided by tax revenue.
The Lower Lake Cemetery District has four members on its board. There are many local organizations who volunteer to help with clean-up of the cemetery. The current priorities are maintenance, work on the undeveloped section and investment in a new backhoe.
The Hartley Cemetery District has a five members board that meets every other month. The main maintenance project for the year is developing a new section for burial plots.
The entire text of this year and previous year’s Grand Jury reports can be found online at https://www.lakecountyca.gov/1219/Final-Reports. Typically, agencies like the Lake County Board of Supervisors are given 60-90 days to respond to the findings and recommendations made in the report.
