MAMAKATING — A heated disagreement arose between Town of Mamakating Historian Virdanna Lawrence and Town of Mamakating officials Tuesday night over the latest cleanup efforts at the two-century-old Roosa Gap Cemetery, as Lawrence alleged that the town violated state cemetery law, while the town disagreed with her account of what transpired at the site.

During the Committee Reports portion of the meeting, Lawrence voiced her apprehensions over the town’s work at the cemetery, citing guidance from the New York State Department of State's Division of Cemeteries.

She stated that the town hadn’t followed state cemetery law when it entered the Roosa Gap Cemetery and claimed that the work done resulted in damage to the burial ground.

"There are recourses that can be taken by members of families," Lawrence noted, offering to provide the board with copies of the law.

Lawrence brought photos to the meeting showing what she assessed as scrape marks on the grave of James Ivory, questioning how the marks got there.

Town Supervisor Peter Goodman disputed the allegations, assuring that heavy machinery and excavation were never utilized in the work done at the cemetery.

He pointed to a path that was cleared “hundreds of feet” from the cemetery to allow the site to be accessible. Once that was done, the only equipment brought into the cemetery was a blower to clear leaves and debris.

"There were no tools. There were no machines. There was no anything," Goodman said, calling Lawrence’s accusations inaccurate and “very misleading.”

Also brought up was the historical access to the cemetery. Lawrence stated that she was ordered to stay out of the property by former Town Supervisor Michael Robbins after the Mamakating Historical Society — which owned the property at the time — requested that she not enter.

Even though she’s a descendant of one of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried at the site, she said she adhered as directed.

She told of the work she had done, which was placing flags outside the property to mark the cemetery’s location, but said she had stayed away until eventually being told she could enter.

Now a town councilman, Robbins told Lawrence that the situation changed once the town regained ownership of the site. Once it had ownership, he said, the town took responsibility for the property and moved to clean it up and establish access.

The disagreement intensified as both parties disputed what had previously been stated about Lawrence’s access to the cemetery and what she observed at the site.

Lawrence stood by her concerns based on her observations and photographs of the cemetery, while Goodman maintained his position that the town had properly handled the cleanup.

"We have nothing to be ashamed of," Goodman assured. "We should be proud of what we did."

Although the animated disagreement concluded without a resolution, Goodman offered to discuss the work done with Lawrence and those who took part in the cleanup.