Currently, monuments in East Lawn Cemetery can be no higher than 30 inches. Anthony DeBoer and his family would like to place a monument at the gravesite of his wife that is 34 inches high.
Monument restrictions were adopted by the Lake Orion Village Council in 1996.
Paula Sims and Ann Marie Schlusler, Anthony’s daughters, told council members at the last two council meetings that they had allowed the DeRoseau family to place a 49-inch monument on their family plot.
According to LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel, the DeRoseau gravesites were purchased before the current rules were adopted. The DeBoer sites were bought after the rules were adopted (1999).
‘Although I wasn’t here at the time (when the rules were put into place), I was told our rules were sent to every monument company,? she added.
Sims insisted her family never received any information on the cemetery’s regulations.
‘My dad would never have done this (bought the gravesites) if he had known about it. I’ve heard many people who have had problems. Maybe you should have had people sign for it saying they had received it,? she added.
Sims said the monument had been ordere,d but not purchased.
‘Why can’t you make it the right height?? councilman Douglas Dendel asked.
Sims said it would take away the integrity of the stone.
Council members will consider the family’s request one more time on June 9.