SHAMOKIN -- Right now only volunteers take care of the Shamokin Cemetery, but that could soon change.
The Shamokin Cemetery owner wants to hire a groundskeeper with money the privately owned cemetery is getting from a cell phone tower.
The cemetery hasn't had a paid caretaker in about two decades. Volunteers cut grass, but there are places they can't reach leaving parts of the cemetery overgrown. A new cell tower in the area will bring the cemetery $ 900 dollars a month. The board of directors hopes to hire a permanent caretaker with this money.
There are more than 16,000 people buried at the Shamokin Cemetery which spans 20 acres. The cemetery has been around since 1860, though there haven't been many burials there recently.
"With us not having many burials, we don't have a lot of income coming in," said Bill Milbrand, Shamokin Cemetery's company president.
The private cemetery is owned by the Shamokin Cemetary Company. Recently its board voted to allow Tri-Mac Towers, a cell phone company, to rent property on the cemetery, which will bring in at least $900 dollars a month.
"This was just what we needed here at the cemetery to provide income so that we can hire a grounds keeper here to take care of the cemetery," added Milbrand.
There hasn't been a full time caretaker here in about 20 years, but Milbrand hopes with the revenue from the cell tower, he can hire one.
"There's a lot of history in this cemetery and the town and it's nice to start seeing things progress and get better," said Shane Hogancamp of Shamokin.
Hogancamp and his father both used to work as caretakers at the Shamokin Cemetery. "I think anything that can come into town that will bring more revenue and help the cemetery out is a great thing for sure."
Milbrand says some Shamokin residents were concerned that the contractor was moving or damaging gravestones, but he says that's not the case.
"There are no graves being disturbed what-so-ever. We got a little close to one up there, but I've been here on site almost everyday." Milbrand reassured.
Milbrand believes the cell phone tower will be up and running within a month and then he can look into hiring a caretaker for the cemetery.
