Milton Cemetery Bars Family Pallbearers, Raises Fee
Milton Cemetery Trustees banned family pallbearers and raised the Garden of Angels infant burial fee from $15 to $100.
Other Committee · Meeting of July 28, 2026
Milton Cemetery Trustees banned family pallbearers and raised the Garden of Angels infant burial fee from $15 to $100. Chairman Joe Reardon led the unanimous votes at the July 28 meeting, acting on safety concerns the cemetery superintendent described: "It makes me very, very nervous every time... there are real dangers, real trip hazards with the casket." The policy now limits pallbearer duties to cemetery staff; the request for family pallbearers had come up 10 to 15 times a year. Trustees also raised the Garden of Angels fee for the first time in decades, with Reardon calling the old $15 rate "an insult," and acknowledged a $50,000 Copeland Foundation donation plus $2,000 from longtime donor Andrea Gordon, both earmarked for tree care.
A town rental-property eviction tied to the cemetery remained unresolved, with court filing expected as soon as Monday.
In the full story:
- Consent Agenda
- Rental Property Status
- Family Pallbearer Policy
- Garden of Angels Fee Increase
- Donations and Fundraising
- Old Business
- Adjournment
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report: 1,758 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.
Members read the rest of this story and every Milton meeting we cover, in full.
Become a memberAlready a member? Sign inA 30-day free trial needs a payment method. After it, your membership renews at the price shown at checkout until you cancel, which you can do anytime from your account. Subscription terms
Share this story
Know someone in Milton who follows town government? Share Townbrief Milton: they can sign up free.