Maintenance & Decoration Ordinances

6-6-1 Mowing Schedule

The mowing schedule will begin on the first business day of April and run until October 31st. City maintenance crews will normally mow and trim the Cemetery each Thursday during the summer schedule, weather permitting.


6-6-2 Decorations

Properly displayed flowers and other decorations add to the beauty and character of the Cemetery. Flowers and other decorations should be dignified and tasteful. Decorating must be done in a way that does not create a safety hazard, impede proper maintenance, infringe on other graves, diminish the character of the Cemetery or offend others. Decorations that are in violation will be removed without notice. The Cemetery Superintendent cannot contact individual families if decorations are not in keeping with cemetery regulations.

(1) Responsibility for Decorations

Clinton City and the Cemetery staff will not be responsible for flowers or other personal property left in the Cemetery.


6-6-3 General Instructions for Flowers and Other Decorations

Flowers and other decorations must be confined to the headstone and its cement apron so that they do not interfere with mowing and trimming operations. All decorations that are properly placed upon the headstone or its surrounding concrete apron will remain, or in the case of flat headstones (ground level) will be removed and replaced after the mower has passed over. Wilted flowers or other unsightly decorations will be removed and disposed of. Different rules apply for Memorial Day and New Burials.


(1) Fresh Cut Flowers

Fresh cut flowers are permitted when placed in sunken vases, or in movable containers or loosely without containers as long as they are confined to the headstone or its cement apron. City mowing crews will dispose of fresh cut flowers as they become wilted or if they are blown off of the marker and interfere with mowing.

(2) Artificial Flowers

Artificial flowers placed on any marker or its apron will remain until they become faded and unsightly at which time City mowing crews will dispose of them.

(3) Other Decorations

Holiday decorations, shepherd hooks, solar lights, pinwheels and other ornaments are permitted as long as they are located on the headstone or its surrounding cement apron. Wire anchors and glass jars can damage mowing and trimming equipment and are not allowed; mowing crews will remove and dispose of them.


(4) Flowers and Decorations Following a New Burial

Special mementos should be removed at the conclusion of services by the family. Flowers will be removed from new graves after they have become unsightly, normally after (7) 7 days.

6-6-4 Memorial Day

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. On the Thursday prior to Memorial Day City crews perform a thorough cleanup preparing the Cemetery for this important day. After the cleanup, decorations may be placed anywhere on the burial space including the grass or headstone where they may remain until the 2nd Thursday following Memorial Day at which time another general clean-up will take place during which all remaining natural flowers and decorations will be disposed of and removed . Patrons should remove flowers and decorations they wish to keep prior to this general clean-up.

6-6-5 Spring General Clean-Up

Since mowing is not necessary during the winter months, flowers and decorations are allowed to remain or be removed by the patrons. On the first Thursday in April mowing crews perform a Spring clean-up where all flowers and decorations are removed and disposed of with the exception of shepherd hooks and vases that are attached to the monument.

6-6-6 Winter General Clean-Up

The winter clean-up schedule starts on November 1st and is in effect until the first Thursday in April. On the first Thursday of each month during this period and as weather permits, crews will remove unsightly decorations.