Dan and Sherry Moody told Dresden selectmen Monday, they can no longer maintain the town’s largest cemetery. “We would like to turn over ownership to the town so that it be cared for properly,” Sherry Moody told the board. “We inherited it from our in-laws.”

The Moodys are now the sole remaining trustees of Forest Hills Cemetery. “Most of the association is buried there,” said Dan Moody. Sherry Moody said the two are performing all the maintenance including mowing. She said they have tried to hire help without much success.

In taking over the cemetery, the town would receive the association’s $30,000 certificate of deposit to use toward maintaining the cemetery, she said. The Moodys offered to still help with some of the paperwork but not the physical labor. “It would be the town’s responsibility,” she said.

Selectman Alan Moeller Sr. said the transfer has been discussed for over a year. He said the town’s lawyer should be brought in to handle the paperwork. The board agreed to meet soon with the Moodys to discuss the details.

In other business, the board voted 2-1 to replace the failing waste oil furnace at the transfer station with the year-old hot air furnace from the old fire station. Moeller said the cost to move and install the oil furnace is estimated at $1,800.

Selectman Dwight Keene argued a new waste oil furnace estimated at $7,600 would save the town $15,000 over the life of the furnace by burning waste oil brought to the transfer station for recycling.
“In the long run the waste oil will be more cost-efficient,” said Keene. "We need to do something tonight," said Moeller. He said delaying action with winter coming would mean the women in the swap shop would be working in the cold.

Moeller said the town would still collect waste oil from residents. The 450 gallons on site could be used by various local businesses that burn it in their furnaces. “I will take care of that,” said Moeller.

Moeller and Chairman Trudy Foss outvoted Keene.