A bare quorum of the Cleveland Township Board on Tuesday evening adopted an amendment to the Cleveland Township Cemetery Rules that will ban hunting within the boundary of the cemetery.

The board’s vote was 3-0 on a motion by trustee Cynthia Shimek to adopt the new rule, seconded by treasurer Bessie Musil. Clerk Jan Nemeskal chaired the meeting.

Township supervisor Tim Stein and trustee Joe Dechow were absent. Both had departed for “deer camp” in anticipation of the opening of the firearms deer hunting season today.

Shimek noted that hunters frequently park their vehicles on National Park Service land just outside the cemetery boundary, and apparently hide them there to avoid paying a National Park Service fee. She said that trash, beer cans and other refuse left by the hunters was littering the cemetery. In addition, a deer stand had been oriented so that hunters could shoot deer walking through the cemetery.

Shimek said she had spoken to Conservation Officer Mike Borkovich of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) about the problem, but was informed by Borkovich that unless the township board adopted a rule against hunting in the cemetery, there was nothing for him to enforce.

The new cemetery rule states: “The Township does not allow hunting within the boundary of the cemetery, and this includes parking in the cemetery to hunt on adjoining property; tree stands, bait piles, bows and arrows and firearms of any type for hunting purposes are also prohibited. This shall be enforced by the DNR.”

In other business at its regular monthly meeting, Nemeskal reported that Stein had met recently with the township attorney to discuss legal action contemplated against the owner of a long-uncompleted home project in the Scenic Mountain View Estates subdivision.

Nemeskal said Stein indicated he would bring a complete report and a recommendation to the full township board at its next regular monthly meeting on Dec. 11.

The board’s Nov. 13 meeting lasted about 10 minutes.