Cemetery Commission

To arrange a burial or to acquire a lot, please contact our Sexton, George Gabaree, Jr. Call or text 802-498-3048. Lot sizes and prices can be found here.

Mission Statement

Town cemeteries are an integral part of both the history and the ongoing life of the Town of Waitsfield and its residents. The Cemetery Commission is responsible for the care and management of the town’s burial grounds, establishing fees, determining rules and regulations for the use of the cemeteries pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 5373.

Purpose and Authorization for Use

The Waitsfield Cemetery Commission believes in the cultural and historical significance of the four Waitsfield landmark cemeteries:  Irasville, Village (Mill Hill), Common, and Wait, and we believe that our community is enriched by the lives and deeds of the people who settled here before us. In honor of those founding families, their foresight and hard work — we strive to maintain the final resting place for their earthly remains which have been entrusted to our care.

The purpose of the public cemeteries shall be a burial place for the remains of the deceased and those that want to pay their respects. Other types of low impact secondary uses such as walking, and jogging are permissible provided they do not interfere with the primary use.

Bylaws

1. COMPOSITION: a board of five cemetery commissioners shall be elected by the voters of the town. Each commissioner will serve a term of five years. Vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining commissioners until the next annual town meeting.
2. MEETINGS: The first meeting of the year shall be held within one month of Town meeting. Election of officers for the year will occur at that meeting. Subsequent meetings will be held during the year as needed. The last meeting of the year will be held upon closing of the cemeteries for the season. Every meeting will be warned one week prior to the date.
3. OFFICERS:
   1. President: shall call for meetings of the commission and preside at said meetings.
   2. Vice President: shall serve in place of the President in case of an absence.
   3. Treasurer: shall receive, collect, hold, and pay out all monies for the commission. Shall also keep an accurate account, in detail, of all receipts and expenditures and report such at scheduled meetings as well as a financial record to be included in the annual report and all audits conducted by the Town of Waitsfield.
   4. Secretary: shall record minutes for all meetings and any other necessary written correspondence related to the business of the Commission.
4.  SEXTON:  the Cemetery Commission will hire the sexton.  The Sexton shall physically care for and maintain all four of the Town Cemeteries as outlined in the signed contract agreement with the Commissioners . At the Commissioners request the sexton will attend scheduled meetings and  report on work done and he will identify future needs for the cemeteries.

Policies

• Opening date for burials is May 1st. Closing date is November 1st. (There are no winter burials)
• Off season burials are made at the discretion of the Cemetery Commissioners.
• Cemetery hours are dawn to dusk.
• Cemetery grounds are to be treated with dignity; Visitors are urged to respect persons who may be visiting burial sites of loved ones. Boisterous behavior, picnics, parties, climbing on monuments, defacing monuments, removing grave items, cutting flowers, littering and other disrespectful acts are all prohibited. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Persons are welcome to walk through the cemetery; dogs must be leashed at all times; and owners are required to clean up after their animals.
• The Commission is to be contacted prior to the erection of a monument on a lot for approval of the base structure to avoid frost damages.
• Cornerstones are required for all lots. Headstones or Grass markers bearing names or initials are required for all full burials.
• Vaults are required for all full burials except for natural burials. No mausoleums. Any exceptions to this is at the discretion of the Cemetery Commission.
• Floral or shrub placement shall not interfere with the care of the lot. No glass containers are to be used. Shrubs should be of compact size and height.
• Direct-line descendants of lot owners may use unfilled spaces in old lots upon presentation to the Commission of an approval letter from any other interested parties.
• Damage to monuments by making stone rubbings will be the responsibility of the involved persons and they will be billed for all costs incurred in repair or replacement of said monuments.
• Repair costs of damage done by snow removal operations on surrounding properties shall be the responsibility of the operator or the employer of same.
• • Bylaws drawn and approved April 19,1990
  • Amended and approved March 23, 2013
  • Revised and amended November 18, 2014
  • Amended and approved March 10, 2015
  • Amended and approved September 13, 2022