Hamden Plains Cemetery Saga Almost Over

After several years of stewardship, the town committee charged with righting the mess that emerged at the Hamden Plains Cemetery may soon be handing control back to its board of directors.

The committee's chairman John Flannagan told the Legislative Council this week that their work is almost done and now it's up to the board to show that they're prepared to resume responsibility for the Circular Avenue cemetery.

Allegations of fiscal mismanagement, combined with complaints from families who claimed not to be able to find their loved one's graves, led to the town taking control of the cemetery more than two years ago.

At the time, the New Haven Register reported: Former Mayor Craig B. Henrici’s decision for the town to take over the cemetery was endorsed by state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who in 2008 sued the former cemetery operator for improper financial gain and failure to properly mark graves and maintain the grounds.

Blumenthal’s lawsuit, filed in coordination with the state Department of Consumer Protection, alleged that Randy Guevin and his company, Christensen Cemetery Maintenance LLC, failed to maintain accurate records of burial plot placements; neglected to file legally necessary documents with the registrar of vital statistics; and failed to maintain cemetery grounds.

"We are finishing up," Flannagan told the council Monday during its regular meeting. "The funds are in good shape and we have found everyone -- everyone is satisfied."

One remaining issue concerns a right-of-way from Pine Rock Avenue to the cemetery that needs to be surveyed, Flannagan said, but that will be left up to the board of directors of the Hamden Plains Corporation once control is handed back to them.

Two previous members of that board -- which never officially went out of business and retains authority over the cemetery -- have agreed to again serve and rebuild the board, Flannagan said, and once that happens, the town will consider relinquishing its control of the cemetery.

"We will retain control of the fund until they are able to show us they are able to control the place," Flannagan said.

The town has no financial investment in the cemetery save for some legal fees incurred early on, Flannagan said, but they aren't reimbursable.

"There may have been legal fees for lawsuits the town was a party to but I believe those were minimal," he said. "Under state law we can't recoup those."

Over the course of the past few years several families who encountered problems at the cemetery turned to the media to expose their plight, but those situations have been rectified, Flannagan said.

"There was a lot of stuff that didn't belong in a public venue," he said. 

Once the board is organized and ready, the cemetery's fund will be turn over to them, Flannagan said, and the Legislative Council will be asked to dissolve his committee.

"But they have to get their act together first," he said.