KERANG Cemetery Trust feels as though it is being forced to dig itself out of a deep hole of local misunderstanding.
Trust vice-chairman Dale Trevorrow said people must realise the cemetery was “first, foremost and always” in the “dignity business”.
Mr Trevorrow said the trust was run, with one exception, by volunteers, “community-minded locals just wanting to make sure such an important service is there and well maintained”.
So he said those volunteers would appreciate being treated with a little respect and dignity when they have to make tough decisions which might, from time to time, cause some inconvenience.
Such as earlier this year, when the Christmas-new year downpour turned most of the Westblade Avenue cemetery into a lake.
“It must have been obvious to everyone there was no way we could successfully and, more importantly, safely prepare grave sites for funeral services,” Mr Trevorrow said.
“Even in the least-affected areas we would have been lowering coffins into two or more feet of water and we doubted anyone wanted to see that happen.
“We did try and prepare one grave but it collapsed – if anyone had been in there at the time working on it, well it doesn’t bear thinking about.
“Yet we still had people criticising the trust for its decision to stop funerals until it was safe.”
Mr Trevorrow said while he and the other trustees were “totally aware of, and sympathetic to, the emotions surrounding the loss of a loved family member and friend” they had a strict series of State Government protocols to follow.
He said many people didn’t even understand who even ran cemeteries.
“Many people seem to think it is the local council, others say the funeral directors are calling the shots – and they would all be wrong,” Mr Trevorrow said.
“The Victorian Health Department is responsible for the state’s cemeteries, and it relies on local trusts to administer every aspect of them on its behalf and under its parameters.
“To do that, trust volunteers (only the trust secretary receives any remuneration) not only give up their time in the day-to-day management of the cemetery, they also sacrifice more to attend industry education events through the Cemeteries and Crematoria Association of Victoria.
“CCAV supports all trusts through advocacy and leadership, training, communication, and membership.
“We are a B Class trust, while A Class ones – mostly the bigger metropolitan cemeteries – have a leadership role to assist us with operational and governance matters, record-keeping systems, standard form documentation, and tendering and contracting processes and requirements.
“The Health Department is relied on where help is needed beyond that and to ensure what all trusts do is within the law.”
Mr Trevorrow said the cemetery closure earlier this year was unprecedented, but so were the weather conditions.
He said that even in 2011, when the Loddon turned the town into an island, they did not get as much water on the cemetery as they did from the storm drain overload in January.
It was a crisis compounded by a not-unexpected power outage, which meant the town pumps could not help removing water off the cemetery grounds.
“As a not-for-profit trust we operate on a combination of fees for use of the cemetery and some funding through the Victorian Health Department Grants Program,” Mr Trevorrow said.
“The grants are available for ‘one-off’ expenditure items (and we haven’t always been successful when we have applied).
“It is essential we deliver the most transparent and accountable management of our funds – because it is the community’s money, the taxpayers’ money.
“It would be irresponsible of us to overpay for services or to be careless with what it essentially the public purse, and that means keeping a close eye on every cent we spend and the same transparency and accountability from people and/or businesses providing us with services.
“We are a trust; and the community needs to be able to trust us, just as we need to trust all our suppliers and service providers to make sure we deliver the best service at the best price.”
The trust also relies on the local community for assistance.
It held a working bee on Saturday, which included “much-needed” weeding of the memorial section of the cemetery.
