The city of LaFayette is fielding a flood of angry calls after city workers mistakenly removed flowers from graves at LaFayette Cemetery.

Charlcey Frye, whose father is buried there, said she recently bought flowers for the grave. “Now they have been thrown away,” Frye said.

The city published a legal notice in the Nov. 13 edition of the Walker County Messenger telling the public it planned to clean up the cemetery, including removal of all floral decorations. The cleanup, the notice said, would begin Nov. 16. (Read the full text of the notice below.)

The notice also explained that “permits are required before placing anything other than flowers in the cemetery.” The notice did not specify whether that included artificial flowers.

On Tuesday the city issued a written statement explaining that “some fresh flowers” were mistakenly removed. (Read the full text of the statement below.)

Mayor Neal Florence said the city will have a meeting on the cemetery dilemma Thursday night. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

“The cleanup that happened was not what the city intended,” Florence said. He said the idea was to pull out the dead flowers, not the new ones.

Florence pointed out that it is the city’s responsibility to preserve and maintain the cemetery.

Frye pointed out that the public notice said flowers and other items would be placed in storage. But she learned the flowers were thrown away.

“They didn’t store them. They threw them away. That is my lot, my dad’s, and that is very sentimental,” Frye said.

Frye said that, due to the weather, flowers are going to fade and the city should not just remove them and throw them away.

“Yeah, they are going to be faded. They have been in the weather and that doesn’t give the city or anyone the right to take flowers off my dad’s grave,” Frye said. “They might be faded, but I redo them.”

Frye said she does not have a receipt to give the city so she can be reimbursed for the flowers.

“I paid for the flowers in cash. I did not keep a receipt because I never would have thought that the city would go over there and throw them all away,” Frye said.

Dalton resident Marsha Godfrey, whose father is buried in the cemetery, said she travels to LaFayette regularly to take care of and place flowers on her father’s grave.

“I was highly upset. It (the deed to the lot) didn’t say you needed to change your flowers at a certain time,” Godfrey said. “We change my dad’s flowers every three to four months.”

Godfrey said she understands the city’s policy on not placing items such as benches, without a permit, at the gravesites. But she does not understand why the flowers were removed.

“I just wish that they could understand our feelings on this,” Godfrey said. “I go to my father’s grave every two weeks.

“Those flowers cost and with the economy the way it is, we can’t afford to buy new flowers every two weeks. They don’t care. They must have never lost a loved one.”

Godfrey said she and her family tends to her father’s lot by distributing weed killer around the lot, so that the city only has to mow around the sides.

“I hope they stop and take a look at what they are doing to people’s feelings,” Godfrey said.

This is the legal notice published by the city in the Nov. 13 edition of the Walker County Messenger

“Beginning November 16th, 2009 all floral decorations will be removed from all grave sights. If you wish to keep your arrangements please do so before this date. The lawn care contractors will begin November 16th cutting, pruning and removal if necessary of overgrown trees, shrubbery, etc. as needed. As the result of numerous calls referencing unsightly and unkept grave lots that have had items such as benches, lanterns, figurines, copings and other items placed on or around them that prevent the proper maintenance being performed will be looked at, and any that have not requested permission by a permit as required, will be removed and kept in storage for collection at your convenience for a period of 60 days. All of the items listed are covered on the back of your Certificate for Internment and/or Burial Rights.

The city of LaFayette issued this written statement on Tuesday

“To clarify some of the confusion about the LaFayette City Cemetery, please read the following:

The City of LaFayette is in the process of cleaning and improving the condition of the cemetery. Removal of certain items during this process has caused questions concerning the rules regulating decoration of individual plots. The current rules have been in existence for several years, and they have not changed.

“Recently, a notice was published in the Messenger, and also aired on WQCH Radio, stating that the City would be enforcing the existing cemetery rules. The notice also pointed out that the rules are printed on the back of the deeds to the cemetery lots.

“The rules provide in part that permits are required before placing anything other than flowers in the cemetery. There is no charge for the permit, but the permit must be obtained. Permits may be obtained at the Public Works Department located on the LaFayette bypass.

“During the work to improve the condition of the cemetery, some fresh flowers were removed in error. The intent of the City was to remove only the old and faded arrangements, but the fresh flowers were also removed in the process.

“Upon knowledge of the mistake, the City immediately began taking action to correct the situation. Any family member who had a floral arrangement removed in error is urged to come by City Hall and complete a claim form.

“The City is sensitive to the condition and maintenance of the cemetery and works hard to keep the cemetery in a good condition. The City sincerely regrets any inconvenience or concern this matter has caused and is diligently working to rectify the situation.

“For a copy of the rules regarding the LaFayette City Cemetery, contact the City Manager’s Office at City Hall.”