Princeton Cemetery Association
Rules & Regulations
BYLAWS OF THE PRINCETON CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I
Membership
Section 1: The membership of the Princeton Cemetery Association shall be composed of the owners of the lots comprising the Princeton Cemetery. Each lot owner shall be entitled to one vote at each regular or special meeting of the membership.
Section 2: The regular meeting of the members (Decoration Day) shall be held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend of each year. Notice of said meeting shall be made through announcements in local papers.
Section 3: Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the Board of Trustees, and must be called upon written petition by ten (10) members. The announcement of such special meeting shall be made in a local newspaper and only those matters set forth in the announcement of the special meeting shall be considered.
Section 4: At all regular or special membership meetings, ten (10) members present and voting or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE II
Board of Trustees
Section 1: The governing body of the Princeton Cemetery Association shall be a Board of Trustees composed of eight Trustees.
Section 2: The Trustees shall be elected at the annual membership meetings and shall serve for a period of two (2) years or until their successors are elected, provided however, that the initial Board of Trustees shall be composed of eight (8) Trustees, four (4) of whom shall be elected for a term of four (4) years and four (4) to be elected for a term of two (2) years so that thereafter four (4) Trustees will be elected every two (2) years.
Section 3: The Board of Trustees shall hold regular meetings as often as necessary to conduct the affairs of the Association and a majority of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4: The Board of Trustees shall have the authority to act for the Association and all rights and powers are vested in the Board of Trustees including the right to sell, mortgage or otherwise dispose of the assets of the Association.
ARTICLE III
Officers
Section 1: The officers of the Princeton Cemetery Association shall consist of a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. The office of secretary and treasurer may be held by the same individual.
Section 2: The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees at their first regular meeting and shall serve for a period of two (2) years or until their successors are elected.
ARTICLE IV
Amendments to the Bylaws
Except as provided in Article V, Section 4 hereof, the bylaws may be amended by the Board of Trustees at any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, such amendment of the Bylaws is subject to the ratification of the members at its next regular annual meeting. At any meeting of the Board of Trustees where the Bylaws are to be amended, notice of such intent to amend must be made know to the Trustees prior to the meeting.
ARTICLE V
Funds
Section 1: Moneys of the Princeton Cemetery shall be divided into two funds, to-wit: The General Fund, and the Endowment Fund.
Section 2: The General Fund shall be used by the Trustees to pay the ordinary expenses of the cemetery and shall be derived from the sale of lots and all other sources not subject to the Endowment Fund.
Section 3: The Endowment Fund shall consist of gifts made to the cemetery and designated for that Endowment Fund and such additional revenues as the Trustees may, from time to time, desire to place in the Endowment Fund. The Trustees are authorized and directed to invest the corpus of the Endowment Fund in accounts with Savings & Loan Associations insured by the Federal Savings & Loan Association Insurance Corporation, and such other investments authorized by the provisions of the Texas Trust Act. The Trustees shall not be authorized to expend any of the corpuses of said Endowment Fund, but may use the income there from for the maintenance and up-keep of the cemetery premises.
Section 4: Section 3 of Article V with reference to the investment and use of the Endowment Fund may be amended only at a special meeting of the membership of this Association and notice of such special meeting shall be mailed to each member at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the special meeting and the proposed amendment to these bylaws as the same affects said Section 3 of Article V hereof. Said notice shall likewise name the time and place of such special meeting.
ARTICLE VI
Sale of Lots
Section 1: Definitions
(a) "Owner" shall be construed to refer to the individual or individuals having the right of interment in the Princeton Cemetery.
(b) "Deed", "Deed of Interment", or "Certificate of Ownership" shall be construed to refer to an instrument conveying the right of interment in the Princeton Cemetery.
(c) "Burial space" shall be construed to refer to an individual space for one burial.
(d) "Lot" shall be construed to refer to 12 burial spaces in Blocks 1 thru 8. Block 9 and future Blocks shall be construed to refer to multiple burial spaces as indicated on the official plat of the cemetery. "Lots" are numbered on the plat of the cemetery.
(e) "Block" shall be construed to refer to multiple lots. "Blocks" are numbered on the plat of the cemetery.
(f) "Superintendent of Grounds" shall be deemed to include any general officer of the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Cemetery Association.
Section 2: The Trustees are authorized to make provisions for the sale of cemetery lots and to determine the price to be charged, and to determine the restrictions to be placed in any conveyance.
Section 3: The following restrictions and rules shall be included in each Deed of Interment or Certificate of Ownership, whether recited specifically therein or not.
(a) Errors May Be Corrected. The Board of Trustees reserves, and shall have, the right to correct any errors that may be made by it either in the description, transfer or conveyance of any interment property, either by cancellation of any interment property, either by canceling such conveyance and substituting and conveying in lieu thereof other interment property of equal value and similar location in as much as possible, or as may be selected by the Trustees, or, in the sole discretion of the Trustees, by refunding the amount of money paid on account of said purchase.
(b) Interment For Human Remains Only No interment of any body, or the cremated remains of any body, other than that of a human being shall be permitted in the cemetery. Stack burials are not allowed. Burial of cremains shall be limited to not more than two cremain burials per burial space and will be buried in an appropriate burial container/urn normally furnished by the funeral home. All burials, regular & cremain, will be done by a burial company approved by the Princeton Cemetery Board.
(c) Interment Rights of Burial Space Owners. All "Lots" and "Burial Spaces" conveyed shall be presumed to be the sole and separate property of the person or persons named as grantee in the instrument of conveyance; provided, however, that the husband or wife shall have a vested right of interment of his or her body in any burial plot conveyed to the other, which right shall continue as long as he or she shall remain the husband or wife of the owner or shall be his or her wife or husband at the time of such owner's demise. No conveyance or other action, without the joinder therein or by written consent attached thereto, shall divest such husband or wife of such vested right of interment; provided, however, that a final decree of divorce between them shall terminate such vested right of interment unless it shall be otherwise provided by such decree of divorce.
(d) Descent Of Right Of Interment. In the absence of the specific stated disposition of burial spaces or lots that have been conveyed to an owner who has deceased, either by last will and testament or in testate remaining burial spaces or lots except the one burial space, which shall be reserved for the surviving spouse, shall be used by remaining family members in the descent of heir ship, or as is needed, with the spouse's approval.
(e) Conveyance Or Assignment Of Burial Space or Lots. Any conveyance or transfer of ownership of burial space or lots shall not be deemed valid by the Princeton Cemetery Association until notification of such conveyance or transfer of ownership is made known to the Secretary and is recorded on the books of the Association.
(f) Curbing Of Lots. Curbing of lots is prohibited with the exception of "existing curbs" in Blocks 1 thru 8.
(g) Trimming Of Shrubbery. The cemetery reserves the right to remove or trim all existing shrubbery or other growth extending beyond the boundaries of any specific lot. If any tree, shrub, or plant standing upon any space, by means of its roots, branches, or otherwise, is or becomes detrimental to adjacent spaces or alley ways or roads, or if for any other reason its removal is deemed necessary, the Cemetery Board of Trustees shall have the right to correct the existing condition.
(h) No Preferential Treatment. No lot owner may expect more attention than the general care given the cemetery.
(i) Change In Address Of Owners. Owners must notify the Association of any change in their post office address. Notice sent to a lot owner at the last address on file of the Secretary of the Association shall be considered sufficient and proper legal notification.
(j) No Stack Burials
(k) Grave Liner or Vault. Any burial after April 6, 1995 will be required to have an outside container for the casket of a concrete box or vault.
(l) Tombstones/Headstones of a permanent type must be placed at the head of burial spaces with appropriate footing. The Tombstones/Headstones is required to be in place within six months of burial. It must not extend beyond the boundaries of the burial space with the exception of double markers which may be centered at the head of two spaces. Effective May 24, 2009, Tombstones/Headstones will have a maximum height of 4 ft. above the ground level.
(m) Decorations: Effective July 13, 2009, borders/fences, glass containers, edging, sand, gravel, wood chips, glass marbles, ornaments, toys, or statues are not permitted with the exception of benches in place prior to this date.
(n) Urns or flower boxes (no more than 3 feet in length) may be placed close to the Tombstone/Headstone, but must not be placed on other parts of grave space. Any artificial flower that is deteriorating or is badly faded will be removed.
(o) Live or artificial flowers may not be stuck directly in the ground; except they may be stuck directly in the ground next to the Tombstone/Headstone for special days i.e.; Christmas, Easter, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day & Decoration Day (Memorial Day weekend). These flowers may be put out the week prior to these special days, but will be removed shortly following the observance of these days.
(p) Small Flags may be displayed on Memorial Day & Veterans Day. They may be placed the week prior to each of these days and will be removed shortly following the observance of these days.
(q) Owners Bound By Rules and Restrictions. The owner of right of interment shall be bound by all applicable rules and restrictions now or hereafter in force.
Directions:
From Hwy 380 in Princeton, go north on Yorkshire Dr. approximately one quarter mile from Hwy 380 on the left.
Donations:
Princeton Cemetery Association is a non-profit organization chartered in 1967. If anyone would like to help in the upkeep and preservation of the cemetery, donations may be sent to P.O. Box 684, Princeton, Texas 75407.
