PERU – Members of the Demerritt Cemetery Association were on hand at the selectmen’s meeting Monday to discuss the status of the privately owned cemetery.

According to the association president, Rodney Jamison, the current owner is looking to sell the sum of all unsold lots. In a previous meeting, selectmen said they didn’t believe the town should buy the lots, but that they might consider taking over the land if it were deeded as a gift.

In a related issue, association Treasurer Vera Parent has been searching for information on town meeting decisions concerning the perpetual care trust funds. Parent said the town has served as trustee for those funds, which currently total around $61,000, for many years.

Several board members have said that they would prefer the town transfer its responsibility to the association, but that they would like a clear interpretation of what that responsibility is before anything is done. After an extensive search of the minutes from town meetings as far back as the 1930s, Parent has found only vague answers as to exactly how the funds became associated with the town.

In other business, Road Commissioner David Gammon has reviewed all bids for a new plow truck the town will purchase this summer. Gammon said that, of the seven bids, most did not meet the specifications sent out by the town. After discussion, the board decided to award the contract at next week’s meeting, pending further inquiries into the two most promising bids.