Cemetery board explores erosion reduction options

James Youse, president of the Riverside Cemetery board, noticed that whenever he went to the cemetery, the gates were in a closed position. After closer inspection, he concluded that the gates were blowing closed. He recently installed  a pair of gate turn downs, and added a chain and carabiners in order to hold the doors open. August 2024 photo by Meryle Martin Dexheimer

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

Since its first meeting in September 2024, the reorganized Riverside Cemetery board has made considerable progress in resolving issues brought before it.

The first issue was to raise $10,000 in order to qualify for a matching grant from the George H. Riedel Foundation. That accomplished at the end of 2024, the board’s focus has turned toward its foremost concern: Erosion which compromises the road leading into the post-Civil War era cemetery.

The board met in a special called meeting on March 24 in order to hear the plans brought fourth.

J. Reese Coulter, a retired civil engineer, voluntarily studied the scope of the problem along with several of the board members, and on March 24 presented four preventative actions the board could consider in order to reduce soil erosion near the roadway.

The first plan, Plan A, would be to continue making repairs to the cemetery road as erosion occurs, as is currently the situation.

The second option, which Coulter described as Plan B, is to restore a road ditch located along the upper reach of the road, extending the ditch to a point where discharge will not cross the entrance road.

The third option, Plan C, would be to repair existing surface collection drains and subsurface pipes.

And fourth, Plan D, would be to build a diversion with buried pipe to convey runoff into the woods and away from the road. This process would steepen the terrain, thus increasing maintenance costs.

After weighing potential costs, the board voted to meet with area contractors regarding cost estimates in regard to Plan B and Plan C.

James Youse, board president, said that the board’s most immediate need is to get the road passable.

The board members discussed the feasibility of putting asphalt on the cemetery entrance road, once the erosion problem is brought under control.

“I think we have some direction here,” Youse said. “We’ll get bids on B and C, and get the process rolling. Hopefully when we get that part done, we can get some bids on asphalt work.”

Youse said that donations to the cemetery are still coming in, including a recent $1,000 check that arrived via the Hannibal Arts Council, which is administering the account on behalf of the board.

The next meeting of the board will be at 6:30 p.m. May 5, at Calvary Baptist Church. Members are hopeful that they can stage a work day at the cemetery this spring.