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Dwindling board seeks help to care for Leechburg cemetery

LEECHBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Leechburg Cemetery Company, organized in 2011 to maintain the borough's historic burial ground, created promise for its future. For a year, it was successful, but the six-member board slowly began to dwindle. Now just two men remain. Only Larry Boehm and Joe Felschow are left to tend to the cemetery — and pay out of their own pockets to maintain the grounds. "We are taking care of the place, but we don't have access to our funds or the capabilities to run the facility as we should," Boehm said. According to the bylaws of the company established five years ago, there may be no fewer than five and no more than seven members to vote on expending the company's funds. Since there are only two members remaining, their bylaws prohibit Boehm and Felschow from spending any of the company's money to upkeep the cemetery. Boehm estimated they have spent close to $400 of their money. They have had to cover necessary expenses such as gas and oil for the lawn mower and anything else that needed immediate attention over the past few years. "It has been just me for the last two or three years," Boehm said in regards to lawn services. When the cemetery company was formed, it had a little more than $3,000 on hand for grass cutting and other upkeep expenses. That number has gone down to about $2,500 that could be spent if only there were a five-member board to meet the company's bylaws. Boehm didn't have an exact figure on the remaining balance. The loss of board members was a gradual slide, according to Boehm. One board member moved away, and other former members are part of the Leechburg Fire Department and did not have the time. So now, without the legal right to access the cemetery's money, Boehm is reaching out to Leechburg for help. In a letter sent out to residents, Boehm asked for volunteer board members, stating the limited responsibilities they would have. The response has been immediate. Already two, and possibly three people have expressed interest in serving on the cemetery board. Among them is Jeremy Gabborin, owner of a home bordering the cemetery. Gabborin, who has lived on Breeze Avenue for 18 years, said the cemetery has consistently been his concern. "Having that piece of history has always been important to my family," he said. "It's our responsibility to maintain it so, when Larry reached out, I contacted him immediately." Gabborin said, with his newly acquired role, he wants to continue to keep better records of those who reside in the cemetery's graves. He emphasized its historic role in the community, with grave stones holding the names of Civil War veterans and other historical figures dating back hundreds of years. Lisa Olson and her daughter Anna Olson, who have done volunteer work in the past, also reached out to Boehm with interest. Once the company is able to officially operate its funds, Boehm plans to make several improvements. He said there is much needed work, including resetting some headstones and a storage shed that needs a new roof. Leechburg Cemetery is full, with graves dating back to the 1800s. ___ Online: http://bit.ly/1UnFN2U ___ Information from: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, http://pghtrib.com