FILLMORE TOWNSHIP,

Allegan County, Michigan

Established 1849

E-Mail: fillmoretownship@gmail.com

Phone: 269-751-7655

Cemeteries

East Saugatuck Cemetery

East Holland Cemetery

Rules and Regulations
Governing
Fillmore Township Cemeteries
East Holland
and 
East Saugatuck

Adopted October 4th, 1940, revised May 1, 1950; May 2, 1972; April 11, 2000 and February 9, 2021 by the Fillmore Township Board of Trustees.

  1. The “Cemetery Board” as referred to in this book, is composed of two members of Fillmore Township, one, a member of township board with the cemetery sexton as advisory member of the board.
  2. These rules are for the management and control of the Fillmore Township cemeteries where applicable and are subject to change without notice.
  3. The cemetery grounds are dedicated to the burial and repose of human dead only.
  4. Burial rights on lots shall be conveyed by title by the Cemetery Board, which shall secure to the purchasers, their families, or heirs a burial place forever, subject to such rules and regulations as are now in force or may from time to time be adopted by the cemetery management. Any owner having no further use for burial rights on any lot or portion thereof, may dispose of the burial rights on such a lot only through the cemetery board at the then prevailing price.
  5. Burial rights shall not be regarded as sold until the entire purchase price has been paid, and where an internment has been made before the entire purchase has been paid, the cemetery management reserves the right of future burial together with the right; after demand and neglect to pay, at its discretion, to remove the remains to the single grave section or some suitable place within the cemetery.
  6. Resident owners of burial rights shall have the right to give permission, by written order, for the burial of the remains of other than their immediate families provided the remains are those of a resident of Fillmore Township. If the remains are those of one who was not a resident of Fillmore Township, payment of 30 dollars is to be made for each burial, before the sexton begins work on the grave. Such requests by non-resident owners shall be handled individually by the cemetery board. Such written permission must be given for each such usage individually, and burial rights on entire lots may not be transferred to other families in this way (see paragraph 4).
  7. Prices of burial rights to residents of Fillmore Township shall be as follows: for all lots – $200.00 per grave. Prices to non-residents shall be as follows: for all lots – $700.00 per grave.
  8. Sale of burial rights is restricted to 4 graves per family, except by special permission of the cemetery board.
  9. The Board reserves the right to withdraw from sale burial rights on any lot or lots on which they wish to plant trees or shrubs.
  10. Any owner of burial rights on single graves in which burials have been made, and who later purchase burial rights on a family lot, may have the bodies removed to the family lot at owner’s expense and the owner agrees to surrender the right of burial on the original space, and to provide a new vault if necessary.
  11. Whenever an assessment shall have been made against any owner of burial rights, for care or other work, done at his or her request, the same shall be and remain a lien upon said right of burial and the cemetery board shall prevent burial on said lot or any part thereof until such assessment shall have been fully paid.
  12. No planting of trees, shrubs or perennials by owners of burial rights, will be allowed.
  13. Any improvement contemplated by an owner of burial rights on a lot, shall first be discussed with the sexton and if the same conforms with the rules and regulations, the work shall be done by the sexton or his helper, who shall be paid by the owner.
  14. Planting annual flowers by owners of burial rights will not be allowed.
    a. Cut flowers, wreaths, bouquets, etc., may be placed upon graves or lots or placed in receptacles on lots but in no case shall they be placed in the soil.
     
    b. As soon as flowers, wreaths, emblems etc., used at funerals, or placed upon graves at other times becomes faded and unsightly, they will be removed and no responsibility for them will be assumed by the cemetery board. The use of artificial flowers is prohibited.
     
    c. Urns and baskets filled with plants will be permitted on lots and will be cared for at a reasonable charge, but if the urns are not filled by the 15th of June each year, they will be removed.
  15. All graves shall be opened by the sexton or his assistants. The charge for opening a grave for Fillmore Township residents shall be 60.00 which will go to the Cemetery Fund.
  16. To avoid misunderstandings, it is important that some friend or member of the family shall call and locate the grave desired opened. The Township Boards can not be held responsible for mistakes made when orders are given by telephone or facsimile. All notices for grave openings shall be at least 24 working hours in advance time for burial.
  17. Not more than one burial shall be made in the same grave except for a mother and infant child.
  18. All lot numbers are placed in the northwest corner of individual lots or parts of lots.
  19. Markers on any one lot shall be uniform as to size, color and material, size not to exceed ten inches wide, eighteen inches long, and eight inches projecting above the ground. Not more than one marker for each grave. Double markers are allowed are 10x30x8.
  20. Granite is the most durable stone for markers and all other kinds of stone or imitations are prohibited except by special permission of the cemetery board.
  21. All marker footings shall extend down to the bottom of the grave and shall be of the same size as the base of the stones they support. All work on markers at the cemetery shall be done by the sexton or his helpers.
  22. Perpetual care as here used shall mean, the cutting of the grass at reasonable intervals, raking and cleaning up; such care of trees and shrubs as may be necessary, and all other work essential to keeping the cemetery in neat condition; in tending to continue forever similar work to that which is now regularly done upon lots and graves now used.
  23. The settling of the soil and the caving of graves results for natural causes; to prevent this, metal or concrete vaults shall be used for all burials.
  24. The possession of firearms and air rifles within the cemetery ground is forbidden, except that military or other patriot organizations may carry arms for purpose of firing a salute over the grave at the the burial of a member, or in celebrating Memorial Day.
  25. The sexton or his assistants shall have the right to kill dogs, cats or other predatory animals within the cemetery grounds when, in their judgement, it is necessary for the best interests of the cemetery.
  26. There shall be no loitering on the grounds of any township cemetery.
  27. Cemetery records shall be complete in detail and open to public inspection. They shall contain information as to the ownership of burial rights, and all grave locations as determined by actual measurements from the lot markers located at the northwest corner of each lot. The township clerks and the sexton shall be responsible for keeping the same up to date.
  28. To neglect the selection of the family plot until the hour of grief is unfortunate, and we recommend selecting the same in advance.
  29. To guard and conserve the rights and interests of all owners of burial rights, these rules and regulations are established. The Statutes of the State have made the violation of them a serious offense. When owners of burial rights refuse to abide by the above rules and regulations they forfeit their rights of burial, and the township board shall be authorized to return ownership to the townships in such cases.