While several significant topics crossed Bluffton council’s Monday night agenda, Shannon Cemetery consumed one hour of the agenda with several comments from visitors taking both sides of the issue.
Ray Mumma formerly of Bluffton told council members that he had several objections to the cemetery improvement plan.
He asked council to explore obtaining a ground penetrating radar (GPR) to find the graves at the cemetery.
“We think there needs to be more research done to restore this cemetery,” he said.
The Bluffton school board will hold a special meeting at 8 a.m., Saturday, June 13, in the superintendent's office, according to Greg Denecker, superintendent.
A standing-room only audience of nearly 50 persons packed Bluffton council chambers on Monday. Most of those attending had a viewpoint to share about the Shannon Cemetery on Jefferson Street.
Eleven persons - residents, former residents, and others interested in cemetery preservation - addressed council, offering opinions on what should or should not take place there.
David Steiner, council president, presided over the meeting in the absence of Mayor Judy Augsburger.
Bluffton council will open the floor to comments about the Shannon Cemetery on Monday night.
The cemetery project, intended to clean up and memorialize Bluffton's pioneer resting place, recently came under criticism from several persons who do not live in Bluffton.
Richard Johnson will be sworn in as Bluffton's newest council member on Monday. He was selected to replace Everett Collier who resigned in April.
Several other reports are on the agenda. Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, will update council on the following:
• Beaverdam Contracting has completed the water line replacement projects on Kibler and Garmatter. Both Kibler and Garmatter are scheduled to be resurfaced in 2016. Bluffton Paving will perform some sealing of joints to help the surface maintain until the resurfacing.
