Laura Moreau found it difficult to see through the Davisburg Cemetery, let alone find veteran grave markers, when she went to the historic site to place flags for Memorial Day.
‘So Moreau, who was elected to the Springfield Township clerk’s office in November and is responsible for overseeing the historic cemetery, set out to get things cleaned up.
‘This is part of our effort to show we’re working on improving and beautifying our community and focusing on the historical significance,? she said during a presentation at Thursday’s Springfield Township board meeting.?
Davisburg Cemetery, located on Davisburg Road just west of Dilley Road, is maintained by Springfield Township and is in active use.
According to the township’s website, the cemetery dates back to 1844, with many veterans’including at least one War of 1812 veteran, as well as many Civil War, World War I, World War II and Korean and Vietnam War veterans’buried there.
With some help from the township’s Parks and Recreation department, Moreau was able to coordinate efforts to begin the clean up last month.
‘Historically significant monuments and headstones were covered by overgrown trees and shrubs,? she said, noting monuments bearing family names like Davis, Dilley and Walls were hidden by overgrown foliage. ‘It took several days of work, many hours and lots of brush removal, but we made a nice improvement and it was all done for under $500.?
But, she said, the work has just begun; several large trees’in close proximity to one another’threaten the cemetery.
‘The two evergreens have been dead for a while and they really do need to come down,? Moreau said. ‘They’re standing directly over some historical monuments, and those branches could fall any time. Even waiting through the winter is a bad idea.?
‘In addition, a contractor who went out to look at the trees and bid on the job pointed out another problem in a nearby maple.
The tree, split at the base, is ‘hollowed out and empty and beginning to crack.?
‘That entire section of the maple could come down at any time,? Moreau said. ‘I’m concerned about people just walking through there, and about the landscaping people. All these need to be taken care of, and it needs to happen soon.?
After several bids, Moreau said the best price’including removal of debris and stump grinding of all three trees, will total about $1,800, with bids coming in higher than that for typical tree removal, given cemetery location and a more complicated removal process.
Moreau also told the board about the cumbersome and inefficient records management system for the cemetery, noting she juggles dated software, along with a card catalogue system and a copier-enlarged map — pasted on a piece of foam board — to determine the availability of grave sites.
‘It’s a bit of a circus,? she said, noting her staff researched and recommended updated software with an interactive map.
With planning for next year’s budget set to begin next month, Moreau said she wanted to build the cost into the clerk’s office expenditures for 2010.
And finally, Moreau told the board about her findings for a cemetery sign.
‘We currently have no entrance sign or designation of any kind,? she said. ‘No one would even recognize Davisburg Cemetery is under Springfield Township jurisdiction, or that there’s strong historical significance here.?
Lack of a sign, she noted, makes the cemetery appear ‘forgotten and unimportant in the community.?
The board unanimously approved placement of a five-foot-by-four-foot, one-sided blasted panel sign in green and gold by Rich Signs of Pontiac, which will sit on a small hill near the center entrance to the cemetery of Davisburg Road before the snow flies.
The board also agreed the trees pose a threat.
‘It’s been a number of years since we spent significant money on the cemetery,? said Trustee Denny Vallad, noting he ‘didn’t have a problem? with any of Moreau’s proposals ‘Those trees need to come down.?
Trustee Judy Hensler agreed.
‘We need a sign identifying the cemetery,? she said. ‘It’s a step toward promoting the whole community.?

2009 Proposed Cemetery Maintenance & Improvements
as proposed by Springfield Township Clerk Laura Moreau

The 2009 Cemetery Repairs & Maintenance Budget was originally set at $7,500, with estimated general maintenance expenses of about $6,500.
Estimated costs for improvements are as follows:
Tree/shrub trimming (June 09) (475.00)
Dead tree removal (1,800.00)
New Cemetery Sign (2,800.00)
Budget shortfall * ($4,075.00)
‘Proposed maintenance and improvements detailed above will require a budget amendment, Moreau wrote in a memo to the board. ‘The Elections cost center is budgeted for over $8,500 in expenditures. At this point in the year we can say with certainty that we will not be running an election in 2009. Between the Clerk’s Office elections training and general maintenance on one M-100 tabulator, actual Elections expenditures will be around $500. I propose covering the maintenance and improvements to Davisburg Cemetery with the following budget amendments:
Elections Cost Center: Reduce $4,500
Cemetery Cost Center: Increase $4,500
NO CHANGE TO TOTAL EXPENDITURES