A press release from the Exeter Cemetery District Board
For over 100 years, Exeter and our surrounding communities have been served by the cemeteries of the Exeter Public Cemetery District. In times of need, the families of Exeter, Farmersville, Lemon Cove, Lindcove, Outside Creek, Yokohl Valley, and surrounding areas have turned to the Exeter District Cemetery, Deep Creek Cemetery, and Hamilton Cemetery as the final resting places for their loved ones.
Today, our cemeteries are facing unprecedented financial challenges. Without additional revenue, the cemeteries may have to close permanently. If that happens, our communities will lose a big piece of our history and our families will lose a local, cost-effective way to respectfully lay their loved ones to rest.
Because of declining and now insufficient revenues, over the past 10 years our District has been forced to lay off staff, reduce maintenance and upkeep of the cemeteries, defer purchase of new equipment needed for replacement of worn-out and obsolete equipment, and reduce expenses to the bare minimum.
To help make up for these deficiencies, the District’s Board of Trustees is asking local voters to approve a special parcel tax of $35 per parcel per year on each of the approximately 8,000 parcels within the District. These new funds, estimated to net $270,000 per year, would be used to improve landscaping and maintenance of the District’s three cemeteries, improve accessibility and safety, replace worn-out equipment, upgrade facilities, drill a new water well at Deep Creek, develop new gravesites, and improve services for local families. Under State law, the District will only use the new funds for these purposes. The Board of Trustees also will appoint a Community Advisory Oversight Committee to review the District’s expenditure of the new funds and make an annual report to the public and the Board to help ensure that the proceeds are expended only for their authorized purposes.
Please join us in supporting our cemeteries by voting yes on this measure!