Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the “Carbondale Cemetery Association”.

Section 1. Mission

The Carbondale Association exists for the purpose of preserving the designated land space of the Carbondale Cemetery Association, located in Claiborne County, Mississippi, to be used exclusively as a cemetery for the disposition of human remains only. The Association is operated as a nonprofit organization, with no personal benefit to any member of the Association. In addition, the Association is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the Cemetery’s beauty and heritage.

Section 1. Definition of Members

Members of the Association shall be made up of individuals who have paid the annual membership dues of $40.00, or the annual maintenance fee of $40.00 due between January 1 st - June 30th each year.

Section 2. Voting

Any person who is a member of the Carbondale Association is eligible to vote in the election of Officers and on any other matters in all public meetings of the Carbondale Cemetery Association.

Section 1. Officers

The Officers of the Carbondale Association shall be a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Management of the Carbondale Cemetery Association is provided for in the Bylaws under the care of the officers.

Section 2. Election

The Officers of the Association are elected and/or reinstated annually by the members during the annual meeting of the association. All officers serve at no cost to the association.

Section 1. Meeting Schedule

Regular meetings will be held annually in March of each year. Call meetings may be held when or as needed to handle urgent business of the Association.

Section 2. Adequate Notice

Adequate notice will be given, at least two weeks, to the membership. Announcements will be sent to the local newspapers, the Port Gibson Reveille and the Fayette Chronicle. Additionally, the date will be posted on the Website of the Carbondale Cemetery Association.

Section 1. Employees

Currently, the Caretaker for the Carbondale Cemetery Association is considered the only paid employee. The Caretaker works eight months each year, March -October, to maintain the grounds of the Carbondale Cemetery based on a specific Job Description. Other persons may be hired to perform some tasks. These individuals would be compensated in accordance with the task and their requested fee.

Section 2. Officers

The Carbondale Cemetery Association will have the following Officers: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Chairman: The Chairman of the Carbondale Cemetery Association shall be elected by the members. The Chairman will oversee the operation of the Carbondale Cemetery Association and Chair all meetings of the Association. The Chair will work closely in designing and administering the Website for the Association. Consult with family members regarding burial sites in the Cemetery. Verify the members of the association in consultation with the Secretary and/or Treasurer. Appoint such individuals and committees as deemed necessary to accomplish the successful operation of the Carbondale Cemetery Association.

Vice Chairman: The Vice Chairman shall be elected by the members of the Carbondale Cemetery Association. The Vice Chairman will assist the Chairman in the operation of the Association. He will Chair all meetings in the absence of the Chairman.

Treasurer: The Treasurer is elected by the members of the Association. The Treasurer will accept and deposit all monies, in conjunction with the Secretary, received from members or others. Provide reports at the Annual Meeting. Co-Sign and mail checks to the Caretaker for maintenance duties.

Secretary: The Secretary is elected by the members of the Association. The Secretary will maintain the minutes of the Association. The Secretary will accept and deposit all monies, in conjunction with the Treasurer, received from members or others. Send invoices, until the website is up and running, to all members for the payment of dues and maintenance fees.

Section 1. Maintenance

Each year members of the Carbondale Cemetery Association are asked to assist with the upkeep, care, and maintenance of the Carbondale Cemetery. There are two set of fees involved in this process: 

Membership Fee: The Membership fee is $40.00 annually per Family (1) a family being husband, wife, and any children under the age of 18; or (2) a family is any other adult over the age of 18. This fee covers burial in Carbondale and assists with maintenance. If you are not a member, the current burial fee is $400.00.

Maintenance Fee: The Maintenance fee is $40.00 annually for each individual family member, per grave (Parents, Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and Siblings) who are buried in the Carbondale Cemetery. This fee is needed for upkeep and preservation.

Section 1. Damages Resulting from Cemetery Maintenance

 The Association shall not be liable for damages resulting from the mowing of grass, the removal or cutting back of weeds, or other necessary routine maintenance of the cemetery.

Section 2. Damages Resulting from Acts of Nature

The Association shall not be responsible for damages caused by acts of nature, including, but not limited to, falling trees or tree limbs, hail, or flooding.

Section 1. Burials

Burials may take place only after permission has been granted by an Officer of the Association who has verified that the appropriate burial fees have been collected or that the individual is a current member of the Association.

Individuals who pay an annual membership fee of $40.00, payable from January through June of each year, may be buried at no additional cost. However, the family is responsible for securing someone to dig the grave-site. The family should contact the Chairman or Vice Chairman to identify the appropriate burial spot.

Individuals who are not current members of the Association must contact the Chairman to determine the current burial fee for nonmembers. The current fee is $400.00, but this amount may increase in the future.

Section 1A. Burials

Mortuaries and Funeral Homes are hereby notified that failure to ascertain whether the deceased is a member of the Carbondale Cemetery Association, or whether the required burial fee for nonmembers has been paid, will result in the Funeral Home or Mortuary being required to pay the stated burial cost before proceeding with preparation of a grave in the Carbondale Cemetery without permission.

Section 1B. Burials

Specific plots may be reserved for active members of the Carbondale Cemetery Association. Dedicated plots may be secured by making a formal request to the Association and obtaining approval from the President.

Dedicated plots are restricted to members who have paid dues for five (5) consecutive years prior to filing their application request. New members may reserve a plot upon payment of five (5) years of dues.

Upon approval, the member will receive written notice indicating the specific location and dimensions of the plot.

The applicant is responsible for the cost of purchasing a flat stone (of a design and dimensions approved by the Association) to mark the location of the dedicated plot. Placement of the stone must be directed by the President.

Failure to pay annual cemetery dues by the appropriate date will result in the automatic forfeiture of the dedicated plot. One late notice will be issued. Thereafter, the Association reserves the right to remove and dispose of the stone used to reserve the plot.

Section 2. Burial of Ashes

All ashes must be buried in a container in a hole measuring 16 inches by 16 inches by 24 inches.

Section 3. Rules Governing Graves, Grave-sites, and Headstones

No trees, shrubbery, or other plants may be planted in the cemetery.

When bringing fresh flowers, please remove them once they become wilted. When placing cut flowers in vases on headstones, please remove old flowers and take them with you. Do not drop them on the ground or discard them at the back of the cemetery.

Please do not add rocks, solar lights, or other decorative items that will interfere with the upkeep and maintenance of the cemetery.

Section 4. Headstones

When ordering the erection of a headstone, it is strongly recommended that the Monument Company install a reinforced concrete below-ground base foundation.

Without a proper and substantial foundation, headstones may become unstable and topple over time. The appropriate time to prevent this occurrence is when initially contracting with a Monument Company.

Any amendments to these bylaws shall be proposed by written resolution.

The resolution may be discussed, amended, or otherwise altered in accordance with parliamentary procedure. When called for a vote, the resolution shall be balloted upon at a meeting.

For the resolution to be adopted, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present.

Notice of the vote shall be announced fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting.