The following as an excerpt from Policy ADM-12, which established the Cemetery Committee as well as adopting the following rules and regulations. Rules & regulations : General applicability : these rules and regulations are adopted for the common protection of all lot owners and the preservation of the natural beauty of the cemetery grounds and the historical information contained therein. Recreational use of cemetery : no recreational activities are allowed in the cemetery without the permission of the Sexton/assignee. Firearms : no firearms shall be permitted on the cemetery grounds except in the case of a military Guard of Honor and then only when supervised by an Officer and during a military service. Recreational vehicles : snowmobiles, ATV's, and all other off-road vehicles are prohibited by State statute. Visitors must not pick flowers or injure trees or shrubs and in all cases must observe the proprieties of the cemetery. Any person found on the cemetery grounds after sunset will be considered a trespasser. Dogs : No dogs are allowed in the cemetery, with the exception of working service dogs. Solicitation of business is prohibited in the cemetery. Improper conduct or violation of the rules by anyone will result in a request to leave the cemetery. Responsibility for loss or damage : The Town shall take reasonable precaution to protect owners within the cemetery from loss or damage, but it distinctly disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage from causes beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, damage caused by the elements, an act of God, common enemy, thieves, vandals, strikers, malicious mischief makers, explosion, unavoidable accidents, invasion, insurrections, riots, or order of any military or civil authority, whether the damage be direct or collateral, other than herein provided. Correction of errors : The Town reserves and shall have the right to correct any errors which may be made during either interment, disinterment, or removals or in the description, transfer, or conveyance of any interment property, either by canceling such conveyance and substituting any conveying in lieu thereof other interment property of equal value and similar location as far as possible, or as may be selected by the Cemetery Committee, or in the sole discretion of the Cemetery Committee, by refunding the amount of money paid on account of said purchase. In the event such error shall involve the interment of the remains of any person in such property, the Cemetery Committee reserves and shall have the right to remove or transfer such remains so interred to such other property as describe above. Violations of these rules and regulations by a contractor may result in a ban of that contractor from doing any work in a Dedham cemetery in the future. Exceptions will be granted for items prohibited by this policy if they existed prior to July, 2004. Copies of the rules and regulations will be distributed to owners of interment rights at the time of purchase, to persons making general inquiries or interment arrangements, and to local funeral homes and monument companies. Burial lots: Cemeteries located in the Town of Dedham are non-sectarian with interment rights assigned without discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, gender, or sexual orientation. Assignment of interment rights : Persons desiring to obtain interment rights in the Dedham cemeteries are referred to the Dedham Town Office personnel, who will assist the person by showing the plans and available lots of the cemeteries. The Sexton may assist the person in locating the lot. Upon having made a lot selection and full payment of fees and charges, the person will be issued interment rights. The Town Clerk will then record ownership in the cemetery records. Fees for interment rights will be set by the Board of Selectmen after consultation with the Cemetery Committee. Reassignment of any interment right by any owner or assignee must be duly made in writing to the Dedham Town Office. This procedure is required in order that the Town of Dedham may have a complete and accurate record of all owners. Subdivision of interment rights is not allowed without consent of the Cemetery Committee. Interments per grave : No interment of more than one body shall be made in one grave except in the case of mother and infant child or two infants buried in one casket. A casket and up to three (3) cremains may be placed in a single grave. These guidelines will be revised as needed to remain in accordance with state statute. Permanence of interment : No burials will be allowed without a cement or steel vault or grave liner and it is advised to have any cremains buried in a permanent container in case of future removal. Funeral regulations : Upon entering cemetery grounds, funerals or interments shall be subject to the direction of the Sexton or assignee. Graves must be located by the Sexton or assignee. Winter burials will be done at the discretion of the Sexton depending on ground conditions. In order to protect areas over which heavy materials are to be moved, contractors will be required to lay protective planking. Opening and closing charges : The cost of interments or disinterments are to be negotiated directly with the Sexton and the Cemetery Committee has no oversight in the matter. Disinterment : Removals will not be made without a signed order from the next of kin and/or the owner of the interment rights. A licensed funeral director must be present. Shrubs, flowers, and other decoration: No structures of any kind other than grave markers or monuments (see memorials below) may be placed on lots and graves. The placing of boxes, shells, toys, metal designs, ornaments, chairs, settees, vases, fences, edging materials, shepherd's hooks, trellises, or other similar articles upon plots will not be permitted. Flowers, wreaths, and other decorations left on lots will be removed as soon as possible after they fade or become unsightly. No flowering bushes, shrubs, or trees will be allowed on any lot. Window boxes, tubs, urns, and other similar containers which kill the grass may be removed by the Sexton if they are determined to be unsightly or the flowers or plants contained therein have expired. No cement, plastic, wood, and rubber edging will be allowed around any flower beds on cemetery lots. No white marble, granite chips, or other rock materials will be allowed in flower beds. Only bark mulch or wood chips are allowed. No artificial decorations, other than over the stone pieces, will be allowed from June 15th through November 15th. Memorials: Markers : Grave markers shall be traditional stone or metal, set flush with the surface of the ground, having in the case of granite, an axed, steeled, or polished flat topped surface with "V" sunk or sandblasted inscriptions. Single markers marking one grave shall be not more than twenty-four (24) inches long by twelve (12) inches wide, and not less than four (4) inches thick. Double markers marking two (2) or more graves are allowed. They shall not be over thirty-six (36) inches long by twelve (12) inches wide, and not less than four (4) inches thick. Bronze markers must be set flush and kept to size limitations and be secured to a granite base. Monuments : Only one monument above grade is allowed on any lot and no monument shall be erected the base of which covers more than eight (8) percent of the area of the lot. The length of a monument shall not exceed forty (40) percent of the width of the lot except that up to sixty (60) percent may be allowed if the area of the base does not exceed eight (8) percent of the area of the lot. A headstone or memorial, granite preferred, may be placed at the head of two (2) or more graves. Such a stone may not be over three (3) feet by one (1) foot wide by three (3) feet high. All monuments set in a Dedham cemetery must have the die and base epoxyed at the time of setting. Epoxy must be used at the joint between any two surfaces. Foundations are required for all markers and monuments. All foundations are to be constructed either by the granite dealer or under the supervision of the Sexton. They will be of concrete and will be finished at least two (2) inches below grade. Installation of memorials : No memorial, monument, marker, headstone, or foundation may be placed in a Dedham cemetery without the acquisition of a "Memorial" permit obtained through the Town Office. Any person or contractor placing a structure without the proper permit will be held responsible for the removal of the illegally placed structure. All loaded vehicles must enter and depart through cemetery entrances. In order to protect areas over which heavy materials are to be moved, contractors will be required to lay protective planking. Moving stones, etc. across adjoining lots or attaching guide rope is forbidden except as the Sexton gives permission. Removal of memorials : No memorial, monument, marker, or headstone may be removed from a Dedham cemetery without the acquisition of a "Memorial" permit obtained through the Town Office. The contractor or individual that is removing the memorial or doing the repair work on a memorial must show proof of insurance or the Town of Dedham takes no responsibility for injury or damage during the removal or restoration process. In order to protect areas over which heavy materials are to be moved, contractors will be required to lay protective planking.