The purpose of this petition is not to request donations or funding, though they are always welcome. It is to request that the Marshalltown City Council act on the behalf of Riverside, and the will of the people, to honor the long standing agreement, and allow the cemetery to focus on the needs of the people and its repairs. 

Many are familiar with the Riverside Cemetery of Marshalltown, and perhaps just as familiar with the wonderful lake, Lake Woodmere, as the wonderfully greeting visage upon entering the grounds.

However, as many are also aware, Riverside has undergone many renovations and changes in attempts to repair not only damages from the tornado, but also from the Derecho. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been poured into those endeavors going towards restoring the grounds, graves, flora, and helping maintain all of the aforementioned moving forward.

What many may not know is that those thousands of dollars have all come from the amazing community and individuals that hold this place near and dear to their hearts. Neither federal, state, nor FEMA, have allocated any funding to this site, as it lies in exception to their requirements.

All of this is what brings us to the point of this petition. The Marshalltown Waterworks has recently made a decision to cancel an agreement of over 120 years, providing Riverside, and Lake Woodmere, with free water. This decision not only threatens the lake's very existence, as many can see in the past years the levels and clarity have suffered from the continued storms and damage. As a result of this decision it would land on Riverside to find and fully fund thousands of dollars a month in order to even attempt to sustain the lake and the grounds. As a non-profit organization, that is, understandably, a realistically out of reach goal.