§ 194-14. Cremated remains columbaria., Chapter 194. Cemeteries, Part II. General Legislation, Code of Ordinances, Newington

Unless specifically provided herein, the provisions of § 194-11, Interments, shall also apply to this section. For this section, "graves" shall be replaced with "niches," "interment" with "inurnment," and "disinterment" with "removal of urns."

The Sexton shall have authority to sell inurnment rights and inscription rights for cremated remains. Rights shall only be sold to persons having residence within the Town of Newington for a period of six months or more, or to persons who formerly had residence within the Town of Newington of at least six months' duration. There shall be no more than two sets of cremated remains in any niche. All cremated remains shall be contained in urns that will fit within the purchased niche. No inurnment shall be permitted unless the niche to be used is paid in full prior to or at the time of inurnment. Niches may be reserved for a period of no longer than 30 days, upon which time full payment must be made. No credit or installments shall be allowed. All niches must be paid in full before any inscriptions are made on the columbarium. Upon payment in full of the purchase price, a deed will be executed and delivered to the purchaser for each niche sold. Each such deed shall be subject to the terms of this chapter and such other rules and regulations as may be adopted for the management of the cemetery. Any deed shall grant to the purchaser only the right to use the niche for the inurnment of the ashes of himself/herself, his/her family, his/her heirs and devises and such friends (provided such friends have been Newington residents) as may be placed therein without profit, gain, emolument, or advantage to the purchaser or owner of the niche.

In the event of any transfer or sale of a niche by the purchaser or owner, the Town of Newington shall have the first right to purchase the niche at the same price at which the Town originally sold the niche to the owner. Any sale or transfer of any niche which has not been first offered to the Town in accordance with the above shall be void. Furthermore, no sale or transfer of a niche by any purchaser or owner or heir will be allowed or be valid except upon the prior written notice to and consent of the Sexton and upon receipt of the original deed. The Sexton shall impose a reasonable charge for effecting any proper transfer of a niche. The Sexton shall also charge for a new faceplate cover whenever the Town purchases back a niche whose faceplate cover is no longer blank.

When a deed is issued for a niche, it shall convey only the right of inurnment therein and the inscription of the faceplate, and it shall be the duty of the Sexton to enter thereon and prohibit, remove, or modify an object or adornment or work done in violation of this chapter or rules and regulations established pursuant thereto which may be judged objectionable or injurious to the cemetery. The Town of Newington shall reserve the right to develop and improve the cemetery and the columbarium from time to time in accordance with the judgment of the Sexton.

All inurnments and removals of urns shall be made by Town of Newington cemetery personnel. All inscriptions shall be cut by a method of sandblasting into faceplates affixed to the granite fronts of the niches. The style and size of lettering and numerals shall be determined by the Sexton and a standard set for all lettering on the niche fronts. After completion of the official inscription form by an authorized agent of the deed holder, all inscription work will be done by the Town of Newington or a contractor selected by and working under the direction of the Sexton. In the event that information for inscription provided to the Sexton is inaccurate or incorrect, all costs to correct the inscription or to make a new inscription shall be paid for by the niche owner. Inscriptions shall be limited to the name, on one or two lines, the year of birth, and the year of death only. There shall not be more than 16 characters and spaces per line. For veterans who have received an honorable discharge from United States military service, inscriptions shall include the person's name, year of birth, year of death, the branch of service, and the war(s) in which the veteran served.

There shall be a veterans' section, with graves and a columbarium, in the West Meadow Cemetery, reserved specifically for those who have received an honorable discharge from United States military service and their spouses only. Inscriptions for the niches in this columbarium shall be limited to the person's name, on one or two lines, the year of birth, the year of death, the branch of service and the war(s) in which the veteran served. There shall not be more than 16 characters and spaces per line. Graves in this veterans' section shall have flush markers only.

All plantings shall be done and maintained by Town of Newington cemetery personnel.

Nothing will be allowed to be taped, adhered to, or in any way placed on the niche fronts or the columbarium. Pictures, flowers, flower holders, decorations, etc., shall not be allowed on the niche fronts or the columbarium. All such items shall be removed by Town of Newington cemetery personnel and the expense for the removal and cleaning of the granite shall be charged to the niche owner. Inurnment rights may be revoked if continued violation of these rules and regulations occur.

Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for an effective date of 3-17-2010.