Sen. Gordon Applauds State Investment in Area’s Neglected Cemeteries

State Sen. Jeff Gordon (R-Woodstock) today applauded state grant funding for several towns in the 35^th State Senate District to provide maintenance for local neglected burial grounds and cemeteries. Those towns are Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Stafford, Thompson and Tolland.

“Much of the state’s history is rooted in the Northeast Corner, and this includes our cemeteries. It’s important that these sacred grounds be well preserved. Doing so provides our local deceased residents the respect they deserve, and is a way to preserve the history they left behind. This state investment enables our towns to provide appropriate care, and I applaud this decision,” said Senator Gordon.

The grants, which total $5,000 each, are being released under the state’s Neglected Cemetery Account Grant Program, which is administered by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Established in 2014, this program is funded by revenue collected by the Connecticut Department of Public Health from the issuance of death certificates. Grants can be used by the municipalities to support basic maintenance of cemeteries, including the clearing of weeds, briars, and bushes; mowing of the ground’s lawn areas; repairing the ground’s fences or walls; and straightening, repairing, and restoring memorial stones.