COLUMBUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—As Ohioans prepare to observe Memorial Day on May 27 by visiting the gravesites of fallen heroes and honoring their sacrifice, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (REPL) encourages individuals to help keep the state’s cemeteries beautiful and safe by reporting maintenance issues.

To ensure the proper upkeep of cemeteries located throughout Ohio, including both grounds and structures, the Division oversees the registration of cemeteries with recent burials and works to ensure appropriate maintenance is taking place. Family cemeteries are exempt from this registration requirement.

REPL Superintendent Daphne Hawk says cemetery visitors play an important role in helping to ensure these sites remain properly maintained and safe for visitors year-round.

“Whether it’s during Memorial Day or at any other time of the year, we encourage individuals who notice a potential issue at a cemetery to first address it with cemetery management so it can be resolved,” Hawk said. “While management is usually responsive to those concerns, in the event that issues persist, individuals may choose to file a complaint with the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Commission so the necessary steps can be taken to address that issue.”

The Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission (OCDRC) is a nine-person commission that assists in resolving complaints against registered cemeteries, or a cemetery that is not registered but is required to be registered. If someone would like to submit a complaint with the Commission, they can go online to download a complaint form.

In addition to resolving disputes, the Commission publishes suggested minimum maintenance guidelines for cemeteries, which is available on the Division’s website.

In the United States, the origins of Memorial Day date back to the aftermath of the Civil War, when communities nationwide began honoring fallen soldiers with local ceremonies. On May 30, 1868, the first nationwide remembrance, originally known as Decoration Day, took place. In 1971, Congress officially designated the last Monday of May as Memorial Day, establishing the holiday as it’s observed currently. Today, many Ohio communities honor the holiday with parades, military tributes and ceremonies at local cemeteries.

The Division invited its registered cemeteries to submit their scheduled Memorial Day events and ceremonies. That list is available as an attachment.