Citizens express concerns over upkeep of local cemetery

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Several citizens reached out to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News to express their concerns with the upkeep of the Gibson County Memory Gardens.

Ronald Michel has a loved one buried in this cemetery. “They use heavy equipment to work on some of these heavy grave sites, but they have ran over some of these headstones. Some are sunk in and some are broke,” said Michel.

Michel said he tries to maintain his brother-in law’s grave site and noticed additional damage in the gardens, in other places, such as “flowers being mowed over.”

A representative with the Gibson County Memory Gardens told WBBJ, off camera, the reason for the track marks near tombstones is due to the heavy rainfall and the weight of their equipment. They also said there was standing water across the cemetery.

“I took a bunch of pictures and since then they have tried to maintain it and bring it back up. Some of the damage is irreparable,” said Michel.

The same representative from the Memory Gardens say they even placed boards down for workers to drive on to lessen the damage, but says the grounds need to be dry to make repairs.

Michel hopes workers will continue to make repairs.

“Bring it up to par. They have guidelines and they have laws that govern places like this and I think the state should get involved as well,” Michel added.

A representative with the cemetery says they realized they had problems due to the heavy rains and say they will fix what is damaged.