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2. 2004-0305, Cripe-Witter Cemetery; remove fallen/diseased trees, burn off underbrush, add dirt to fallen graves, reset fallen markers JULIE SCHUTTE: (See staff report attached to C of A). Mr. Christopher Overpeck, the contractor, was present as well as Shane Bartmess, a volunteer for the German Township Fire Department, who was there representing the German Township Trustee. Pictures of the cemetery were also brought in for commission members to look at. JOHN OXIAN: Does German Township Trustee have an idea where all the burial sites are? SHANE BARTMESS: No, we were going to ask the commission if they knew who we needed to approach that would have a log or paperwork that could give us this information. The cemetery has not been taken care of for years. There really hasn't been a lot done to the cemetery, except for it being mowed. There has been a lot of vandalism done to the cemetery. I do have pictures of the cemetery for you to look at. There are piles of tombstones everywhere. We spoke with the trustee of the cemetery and got a contract that allowed us to mow the cemetery. We have found tombstones now that we didn't even know existed. JULIE SCHUTTE: There are red flags that note where some of the graves are. Our office has a list of the known headstones; but, we do not have a grid or a map showing where the original graves are located. SHANE BARTMESS: How do we make the tomb stones that are already in piles at least presentable? Does the commission have any ideas on how to do that? JOHN OXIAN: What you need is a fence around the cemetery. I approached Meijers when they were first going to come to South Bend, to see if they would be willing to donate money to install a fence around the cemetery. I did this; because, I wanted to stop them from encroaching into the cemetery. The library is going to be encroaching into the cemetery as well. I think what you need to do is approach both Meijers and the library to donate money so that a fence can be installed around the cemetery. SHANE BARTMESS: People are using the western side of the cemetery as a dumping ground for old Christmas trees, trash bags, etc. This has been an ongoing problem for the cemetery. You would think that with people coming and going from the gas station that somebody would pay attention to this; but they don't. JOHN OXIAN: That's why I think you should contact them and try and get them to do something; because, this is not right. Usually when you put up a gas station, you're supposed to put up a fence. I know you're supposed to put up fence when it's by a residential area; but, I don't know if this applies to a cemetery. JOANN SPORLEDER: Who actually owns the cemetery? 3