The following letter to the editor was originally submitted to the Thomaston Select Board.

I am writing to express my deep frustration and, quite frankly, disgust with the current state of affairs in the Town of Thomaston as it relates to the Butler Cemetery.  I had hoped for a community and town that would reflect a higher standard than you have shown.  Unfortunately, recent developments dated 10/29/24 (Village Soup article “A Sale to Die For”) have led me to feel disillusioned and disheartened.

The proposed sale of Butler Cemetery to Lawrence Butler for such a measly amount without any regard to what has transpired in the past. 

As stated in the article, Butler’s relatives are buried there.  However, more recent than his relatives buried there, my father, Charles Godfrey (husband of Donna Godfrey) was buried there in 2006.  Additionally, my grandparents are buried there – Harvey and Cornelia Curtis (parents of Donna Godfrey) were buried there 2009 and 1995 respectively. 

Most of you are aware, my mother, Donna Godfrey, has done a substantial amount of work on the cemetery and its upkeep.  She has maintained that cemetery for over 50 years, with the help of my now deceased father.  She has paid for the gates to be erected and has also paid, just recently in fact, over thousands of dollars to have the stones fixed and resurrected.   

She went to Thomaston town meetings to fight to have the cemetery maintained and was pushed back by some of you. When the grass wasn’t cut, she would take care of it.  This is a 75-year-old woman doing this for the town of Thomaston, with no payment back to do so. 

You know how much this cemetery has meant to her; however, you go behind her back and write up a purchase and sales agreement to someone that has not shown any interest like she has.  She has been passionate about this and has expressed that repeatedly to you. 

Additionally, I thought that if assets of the town were to be sold the property needs to go out to bid instead of a private sale (behind the scenes).  I may be wrong in that, however, I know that other towns have done that in past, as has Thomaston with vehicles and other equipment. 

This has reached a point where I can no longer hold back regarding my feelings of how disgraceful this is to me; how the town of Thomaston treats its residents but are so willing to just sell this to someone from away. 

Village Soup's article says that Butler is from Thomaston. His address is Topsham, Maine, as indicated on the purchase and sales agreement. 

This was a secretive agreement that went on behind closed doors without any sort of community input.  And now I see that “Community Conversation” (Town of Thomaston website – written by Chris Rector) the Select Board expresses the desire to promote a spirit of trust and good will through clear, honest communication and listening.   

If Thomaston wanted to sell the cemetery, I’m not sure why my mother wasn’t approached instead of what is currently happening.  It is appalling to me that the leadership of this town has allowed such matters to persist without any communication or transparency. 

As a community, Thomaston residents deserve better than hidden agendas.  I implore you to take a step back and reevaluate what message you are sending to the community.  I’m sure that if more people knew what has gone on in the past and what is transpiring, the community would not be comfortable with this local government.  I would ask that you rise to the occasion and restore the sense of pride of your town.

Jamie Fullerton, daughter of Donna Godfrey, lives in Thomaston