Chardon Township Still in Search for Sexton

January 9, 2025 by Allison Wilson

Chardon Township is still in search of a cemetery sexton following Ken Chuha stepping down from the position in November after 44 years.

Chuha, who has been charged with multiple felony counts related to the possession of child pornography, wrote in his resignation letter the decision to step down had been a “long thought out and difficult” one to make.

During the Jan. 2 Chardon Township Trustees regular meeting, they once again renewed their sexton ads and debated about expanding where they advertised to.

“A couple people have emailed and I sent them applications. I did get one application back,” Administrative Assistant Lisa Nelson said when asked by trustees if there had been any responses.

A member of the audience asked if cemetery sexton positions are vacant in other communities, or if the problem is unique to Chardon Township.

Trustee Tim McKenna said Auburn Township had their position open, but recently filled it.

“The job is not going to be what it was when Ken did it,” he noted. “We’re going to incorporate the grass cutting and the weed whipping with the landscaper now. So, the guy’s going to have to meet with the funeral directors, meet with the people that want to buy cemetery plots, possibly be there when they do burials.”

Chuha had made bases for the tombstones, which is an aspect a lot of people forget about, McKenna said.

The job now is scaled back in hours from what Chuha would have been responsible for, he added.

With the township also starting a search for a part-time laborer and snowplow driver, McKenna advised combining the jobs with the sexton position.

Trustee Jacob Cimperman suggested expanding advertising to Ashtabula. McKenna told Nelson to look into the cost of advertising in a mainstay paper in that area.

Nelson also suggested ramping up advertising in Lake County.

In other township business, trustees entered into an $11,000 contract with Millwork Design Solutions, of Willoughby, for three new tables that will replace the current desk and folding table setup currently in the township hall. The amount includes delivery and installation.

John Nowicki, who designed the tables, described them during the Dec. 18 meeting as a center table that will have a radius at the back while the other two will have a radius on the ends.

So, they’ll form a curve when pushed together, Nowicki said.

All the tables will be wrapped with a quarter inch thick edge of maple and possess an electric outlet and outlet box.