FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2007
CONTACT:
Executive Secretary
Town of
Phone (413) 525-5400 ext. 420
Fax (413) 525-1025
VETERANS’
The Board of Selectmen announced today that it is seeking applications for the appointment of Veterans’ Graves Officer. The Veterans’ Graves Officer must be a town resident and a veteran. The Veterans’ Graves Officer is responsible for ensuring that veteran’s graves are suitably kept, and in placing an American Flag on each veteran’s grave on Memorial Day. The full scope of duties as described by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 115, Section 9, accompanies this news release.
Resident
veterans interested in applying are encouraged to send a letter of interest and
resume to:
Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, July 11, 2007.
Chapter 115: Section 9. Care of graves of veterans
Section 9. The mayor of every city and the selectmen of every town shall appoint a resident of such city or town who shall be a veteran as defined in clause Forty-third of section seven of chapter four, as a veterans’ graves officer, for a term to be determined by the appointing authority; provided, however, that said term shall not exceed five years. It shall be the duty of such veterans’ graves officer to cause every veteran’s grave within such city or town to be
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Veterans’
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suitably kept and cared for. Such
care shall include the clearing of weeds and other unseemly growth from said
graves; the repairing, replacement and general up-keep of fences around said
graves; the raising and repairing of sunken grave stones and markers and other
similar services that may be necessary to restore and maintain such graves and
their surroundings in an orderly condition. If the cost of such care and
maintenance is not paid by private persons, or by the trustees of the
cemeteries where any such grave is situated, it shall be paid by the city or
town; and cities and towns may appropriate money therefore. Money so
appropriated may be expended directly by the city or town or paid over to the
trustees or manager of any cemetery where any such grave is situated; but the
sum so paid over in any year shall not exceed for each grave the sum charged
for the annual care and maintenance of like lots in the same cemetery, or, if
no such charge is made in that cemetery, it shall not exceed the sum charged in
other cemeteries in the same city or town for like services. In cities and
towns where there are cemeteries containing the remains of deceased veterans,
such cities and towns shall cause to be placed on such veterans’ graves a flag
of the United States on every Memorial day. Upon the approval of the
commissioner, compensation for 75 per cent of the cost of such flags, but none
of the expenses attending the placement of such flags shall be paid by the
commonwealth to the several cities and towns on or before November 10 in the
year after such expenditures. In cities and towns where there are cemeteries
with mausoleums containing the remains of deceased veterans, each such city or
town shall cause to be placed on each mausoleum a suitable plaque with the
names of all deceased veterans contained therein, and a flag of the
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