Emergency meeting addresses erosion at Lake Milton cemetery

LAKE MILTON -- For years, a portion of Vaughn Cemetery, near Lake Milton, has been eroding, and Milton Township officials are trying to address the problem before it worsens.
Trustees held an emergency meeting Monday to explore ways to remedy the erosion problem at the cemetery, on Pine Drive just off Grandview Avenue.
At the meeting was state Rep. Ken Carano, D-59th, who agreed to look at what can be done to prevent further erosion and protect the area.
Trustee Al Baker noted that the older section of the cemetery, which contains the grave sites of Civil War veterans, is in the most danger of suffering water damage. Baker estimated that the problem, which is caused mainly by boat wakes on the lake striking the shore, has gotten more serious over the past 25 years.
Baker said that Carano could set up meetings with state or federal officials to have engineering experts look at the site. One possible solution would be to build a retaining wall near the water's edge, Baker continued.
Seeking funding
The township doesn't have the money or equipment to handle the problem, however, so Carano also could agree to look for ways to secure funding for work at the cemetery, Baker said.
Lake Milton tends to rise in spring because of snow melt and heavier rains, and sometimes runoff from nearby Berlin Lake, which feeds into Lake Milton, can back up and cause the lake to rise too high. Both are likely contributing to the erosion, Trustee Sue Lemmon added.