No Red Tape For Algonquin Township Cemeteries

Algonquin Township trustees learned Wednesday they'd dodged a bullet only to be struck by lightning.  New legislation tightening regulation of cemeteries in the wake of Cook County's Burr Oak scandal won't effect Algonquin Lake Avenue Cemetery and Chunn's Burying Ground, according to Supervisor Dianne Klemm. However, Road Commissioner Bob Miller reported another lightning strike fried the electronics on the new backup generators that are supposed to run things at the Township when the power goes out.

The main reason the new cemetery regs won't effect Algonquin Township, said Klemm, is "We're full."  She said there were no more spaces for sale in the cemeteries and all the plots have been used except for one.  "We haven't had a burial in 10 years," she said, so "We no longer have to worry about doing a lot of red tape."

Miller observed that recently, "We seem to be a little bit of a lightning rod."  Last year a lightning strike coming in through cable lines blew out the Township's phones.  This year another coming in through power lines melted generator controls.  Miller said he's put in a claim for damages from ComEd but in the meantime contractors will install fuses and surge suppressors to prevent a recurrence.