Pine Grove Cemetery override passes, $40,000 will fund maintenance and upkeep

SPENCER – By less than 100 votes, residents on Tuesday (Sept. 12, 2023) approved a Proposition 2 ½ override that will help fund upkeep at the Pine Grove Cemetery.

The question, which sought $40,000 to assist in maintaining the graveyard, was the only item on the ballot. It was approved 487 to 393.

The approval of the expenditure at the polls was the second step in passing the override which will permanently raise the tax rate by just under 3 cents per $1,000 valuation, officials said. Voters at Town Meeting in May also voted favorably on the measure.

Folks who own plots and have family members buried at the cemetery worried that without the town’s help, the burial ground would fall into a state of disrepair. They pointed to some of the founders of the community who were buried there alongside Veterans from most every war.

Of the town’s 9,073 registered voters, 881 turned out to cast a ballot on Tuesday. The number represents just under 10 percent of all voters, according to Assistant Town Clerk Brynn Johnson.

Correction

An earlier version of this article stated, While the tax rate is increased, how the additional funds are to be spent in future years will be decided annually by voters. While it is true that voters must vote on the town budget at the annual town meeting, the $40,000 may only be used for cemetery upkeep.