Vassalboro Cemetery Committee: Who’s in charge of trees?

by Mary Grow

Four members of the Vassalboro Cemetery Committee met April 28, mostly to continue discussion of who’s in charge of tree removal in cemeteries. In the audience were Holly Weidner, chairman of the conservation commission; Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., chairman of the select board; and, until he had to leave for another engagement, Town Manager Aaron Miller.

Since last fall, the cemetery committee and the conservation commission have been discussing which body has jurisdiction over trees growing in Vassalboro’s 27 (or more) cemeteries.

The five-page draft document Miller prepared traces the debate to March 2024, when, he wrote, a crew cutting trees in the Methodist cemetery, on Bog Road, in East Vassalboro, at the cemetery’s committee direction, unknowingly cut a tree planted under the Project Canopy program.

Weidner said the tree was actually just outside the cemetery; Project Canopy trees are required to be on public land, like the road right-of-way. Because it was cut, she said, the conservation commission did not apply for a 2025 project canopy grant, being unable to certify the town had taken good care of earlier trees.

Cemetery committee member David Jenney recognized, and regretted, the need to “cut a lot of handsome trees” in order to “protect monuments honoring the dead”; although, he added, the trees will eventually die anyway. Denico pointed out that even a healthy tree can be blown over in a windstorm.

Miller said his document was intended not as an ordinance or even a policy sheet, but as a summary with recommendations, to guide future decisions. Titled “Trees and Stones: A Balancing Act in Vassalboro Cemeteries,” it begins with a summary of the issue and a reference to other Maine towns’ experience; discusses funding, perpetual care and town obligations under state law; summarizes local responsibilities; and ends with a list of recommendations.

Since last fall, the cemetery committee and the conservation commission have been discussing which body has jurisdiction over trees.

Cemetery committee chairman Savannah Clark had added comments to the draft. Committee members made additional changes before approving it for reference to the select board for review.

This year’s cemetery work, including cutting trees, is scheduled to be in Vassalboro’s Nelson and Farwell-Brown cemeteries. Clark said an arborist examined trees in both and marked those to be removed.

Miller, Denico and Clark agreed that the town does enough to inform residents of planned cutting, by having the selected trees marked and by advertising meetings at which cemetery maintenance is discussed. Most Vassalboro public meetings are also broadcast and recorded.

In response to the concern about Project Canopy trees, Weidner said the conservation commission is compiling a list and map that will show everyone where they are.

Three other issues were mentioned.

— Miller said Public Works Director Brian Lajoie is consulting with state labor department personnel about getting public works employees trained to work from bucket trucks, so that Vassalboro can save the cost of renting a bucket truck.
— The manager said he is looking into insurance for the local volunteers who repair cemetery stones; he hopes to have something in place by June.
— Committee members discussed what, if anything, state law or regulations say about how deep cremains need to be buried in a cemetery.

The next Vassalboro cemetery committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 19.