The Area News put readers’ questions to general manager Brett Stonestreet, following ornaments being ripped from the lawn sections last week. His full answers are published online.  

In summary, he has refused to apologise, vowed to continue removals beyond the lawn section (including the baby section) and said ornaments will be destroyed or given to charity if not collected within six weeks.   

His response comes despite 80 per cent of respondents to The Area News poll describing the decision as “disgraceful”.  More than 1000 people participated in the poll. 

Lina Soncin said she felt the blood drain from her on Saturday morning. 

Like many Griffith residents, she went the cemetery on the weekend after The Area News’ Friday report. 

The flowers she’d placed on the grave of her son and father were gone.

Eleven years ago, when she lost her 30-year-old son to a trucking accident, the cemetery had given her permission to drill holes into his grave to place a concrete vase with flowers on it – the cemetery office even watched her do it. 

“They must’ve used an angle grinder to remove it,” she said. 

Ms Soncin lost her husband 12 months ago. He was buried in the row next to her son. The vase she placed there was also gone.

“I just wanted to drop dead when I saw it. I’m all alone now, and visit them every week,” she said, trying to fight back tears.  

She went to the office to collect the flowers, and placed one vase back on each graves. But she fears they’ll be taken away again. 

Kim Evans also solved the mystery of why things were disappearing from her son Tex’s grave. 

“I thought people were stealing his belongings. Turns out council is the ones stealing them,” she said. 

Council provides vases and a circular structure with four-inch holes on the grave to place flowers.

But Ms Soncin showed us how the holes are not deep enough and the vases too flimsy to hold flowers – which is why families make their own arrangements.

The Area News observed cracked vases, flowers bent over and glue stains on a number of graves.

“Council provides two vases which can be inserted into the beam. These are replaced as necessary,” Mr Stonestreet said. 

Griffith Community and Development Council will hold a meeting at 6pm Monday, June 12, at the Griffith Leagues Club to discuss the cemetery, and will make a recommendation to council at the council meeting the following day. Anyone interested in putting forward their ideas is invited to attend.