By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
At Tuesday's Barton County Commission meeting, elected officials encouraged more community members to run for office and join civic organizations. One of those organizations is the Memorial Parks Advisory Committee, which helps govern cemeteries. Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger reminded the public of a county resolution that states grave decorations must be removed seven days following a holiday.
"They will be taking the items off the graves seven days after Veterans Day," she said. "In years past, that has not really been enforced. We really want people to understand that this is really going to happen this time because I don't want a bunch of people in here the week after saying they didn't know."
By resolutions, the Memorial Parks Advisory Committee consists of citizens of Barton County who are interested in the care and management of the memorial parks and who are willing to serve on the advisory committee without compensation. The committee is made up of five to seven members on staggered four-terms. Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson said the current committee is doing what it was appointed to do.
"We have some new blood on this committee and they're really stepping up and trying to make that cemetery as good as maybe a cemetery in the city limits. We don't want to get in their way and slow them down by telling them not to abide by the rules that someone wrote in the past. They're stepping up and trying to make those cemeteries a great place."
All grave decorations not in a vase may be displayed only seven days before and after a holiday. Decorations left after the seven days will be thrown away.