Cemetery

Cemetery Maintenance & Rules Residents and Non-Residents of Harris Township shall be eligible to purchase burial plots in Union Cemetery. A copy of the rules, regulations and restrictions will be available upon request when all accounts are paid in full. The sale of plots or burial graves shall be in charge of the Board of Harris Township Trustees (Board) or designee. The Board or a designee shall be notified of every prospective burial at least forty-eight (48) hours before interment; otherwise, the Board will not be responsible for delays MAINTENANCE The Board of Harris Township Trustees shall be permitted to level and fill every plot to correspond to the surface of the cemetery grounds.No permanent fixture (such as trees, shrubs) shall be placed on the plot.Any existing tree, scrub, plant, or article that may be a detriment to the general appearance or maintenance of the cemetery may be trimmed or removed by the Board or designee at its discretion.The use of glass containers, loose stones, or fences is not permitted.Arrangements are to be placed on either side of the monument for the purpose of uniformity and safe mowing. RULES (Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.)Cemeteries will be open to visitors from sunrise to sunset seven (7) days per week unless in the judgment of the Board a necessity arises to restrict the hours.Cemetery speed limit is ten (10) miles per hour.Parking is permitted only on driveways and care employed so as not to obstruct traffic.No pets are to run loose in the cemetery. All pet owners must clean up after their pets.No alcohol is allowed.No firearms allowed except for military funerals or ceremonies by official veterans’ organizations.No one will deface memorials, damage trees or plants, or damage cemetery property.

CEMETERY PLOT FEES	Resident	Non-Resident
Single grave plot.	$200.00	$650.00
CEMETERY BURIAL FEES
Single grave opening/closing	Resident	Non-Resident
Standard burial.	$200.00	$650.00
Cremation: remains buried on or in monument.	$100.00	$250.00
Infant.	$100.00	$200.00
Child *non-resident burial on resident owned plot.	$200.00	$400.00*
Saturday & Holiday (No Sunday Burials).	+$300.00	+$300.00
Any services taking place after 2:30pm Mon-Fri or 1 pm Saturday will be charged $100 per hour to the funeral home.
No more than one standard burial and one cremation burial or two cremation burials per plot.
Single grave opening/closing fee will apply if both burials take place on one lot at same time (example: mother and infant/small child).
Any questions of residency will be settled by the Harris Township Board of Trustees.
Cremation remains must be in a vessel of permanence (example: ceramic or bronze urn/box) in case relocation may be required. Graves not containing remains must be identified as such for records.
Disinterment guidelines ORC 517.23, 517.24. Cremation: $250 disinterment + $200 reburial ($450 total). Full burial disinterment — $1000.00 by appointment only. Requires court order and presence of court appointed person/certified mortician at the time of removal/relocation.

PAYMENTS & DEEDS

• Payment for plot used is due prior to interment. If additional plots are purchased, the balance is due within sixty (60) days of purchase date, subject to Section 517.07 Ohio Revised Code. Burial plots not paid in full within sixty days will remain as property of the Board of Harris Township Trustees; and at the next regular meeting of the Board after the sixty day period, said plot will be offered to the public for resale without further notice given to the purchaser.
• All checks are to be issued to HARRIS TOWNSHIP, OTTAWA COUNTY and submitted to the Township Fiscal Officer or designee, and a receipt shall be issued.
• The Board of Harris Township Trustees shall issue and deliver to the purchaser of a burial plot a deed when all accounts are paid in full.
• Deeds are issued on a fifty (50) year term from the date of issue with a no cost right of renewal (ORC 517.07). In order to establish reentry, the board shall pass a resolution stating that the conditions of the sale or of the deed have not been fulfilled, and that the board reclaims its interest in the lot. Owners of unused lots who do not renew the terms of sale or the deed will be compensated eighty per cent of the purchase price.
• Joint deeds and/or transfers will be issued only at the discretion of the Board.

FOUNDATIONS & CLEAN UP

• Foundation fees: All foundations are19″ wide. Fees vary depending on length: $100 for 29″ … $130 for 42″ … $150 for 50″ … $200 for 56″. Foundations of any other size are subject to availability from suppliers, manufacturer’s prices, uniformity of cemetery graves, installation costs, and approval by Township Trustees. Please call the sexton for additional details on special order foundations.
• All tombstones, markers, headstones or any other fixtures shall be placed (1) on a solid concrete foundation, (2) under the supervision of the Board of Harris Township Trustees or designee, (3) at a cost determined by size. No monuments are to be placed without notice to the sexton.
• No monument shall exceed 50″ x 24″ on a single grave and 100″ by 24″ on a double grave.
• No foundation shall be placed until plot is paid in full.
• Foundations ordered will be placed from June 1 to November 1.

• Spring Cleanup – all arrangements must be removed by March 20; new arrangements may be placed after March 27.
• Fall Cleanup – all arrangements must be removed by October 1; new arrangements may be placed after October 15.