For Town of Scipio Residents: Scipio Rural Cemetery
Work is well under way at Scipio Rural Cemetery (SRC) to repair and reset over thirty failing gravestones. This work is being done with a grant from the New York State Division of Cemeteries which covers the contractor’s fees; without that, this work couldn’t be done. An unintended challenge this year is that the crane St John’s Memorials uses for monument-lifting is unable to access the cemetery due to that nice new fence at the north border of the property. (Kudos to Connie West, our neighbor to the north, for having the brush cleared out and improving the looks of that area!) Fortunately, SRC Association will not incur any extra costs despite complications.
The Cemetery is open to all. It is a public, community cemetery and not affiliated with any religious organization. Scipio Rural Cemetery is experiencing a severe shortage of funds, as income is limited to plot sales, investment dividends, and donations (sadly non-existent last year). Among the six Association members’ responsibilities is land care, some of which is cosmetic but most of which is safety-oriented for those who visit loved ones and ancestors as well as for those who wish to walk the grounds for historical research or simply as a break from daily concerns. Trustees are tasked with securing bids and/or hiring experienced workers to stabilize monuments and make repairs to tipped foundations or crumbling gravestones, mow and trim around each stone, and see to a driveway in good repair. We handle the small stuff like removing fallen branches, overgrowth and litter ourselves.
Here’s a quick rundown (rounded) of last year’s Expenses—
$6596. stablize gravestones; set corner stones
$3885. lawn care
$194. insurance
$290. photos, Shopper ad, and mail to NYS re: stabilization project
$10,965. TOTAL EXPENSES
And Income—
$200. 1 cremation
$900. 3 lots sold
$200. corner markers sold
$1075. investment dividends
$0. donations
$2000. Town of Scipio toward keeping Cemetery open
$6456. NYS Divion of Cemeteries for stabilization contractor
$10,830 TOTAL INCOME
SRC can’t realistically continue at such a tight margin, and it is important to keep it running without being absorbed into the Town which already has the responsibility of four other local cemeteries. Town cemeteries are often prone to dwindling financial support, disuse, and eventual abandonment. Unfortunately, many of the cemetery’s buried residents no longer have living lot owners or family left in the area to tend their aging graves, place flowers and flags, or donate toward upkeep. We welcome support from community members to help Scipio Rural Cemetery stay open to the public just as it has been since 1861 -- a safe harbor for those deceased with ties to Scipio. While the site may look full from the Route 34, there is plenty of open space at the back to accommodate many more burials of family and friends from Central New York and beyond. Please consider walking the grounds to see for yourself how lovely it is. Better yet, bring your school class, community group or club for a tour! It is a special site, a place that protects our early settlers, our war veterans, and generations of farming families. So many stories from local history just waiting for you.
8-4-2024 / Randy Mott, Board member
