289:20 Procedure. –
To declare a burial ground abandoned:
I. The municipality shall place an advertisement in at least one newspaper having general distribution in the municipality and surrounding area. The advertisement shall state the intent of the municipality, identifying the burial ground by name, if known, and by names and dates of the oldest stones in the burial ground, with a request for any direct descendent to contact the town selectmen's office, the town manager, or mayor, as applicable. If the burial ground contains no stones with legible inscriptions, the site may be identified by a detailed description of its location.
II. Not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days after the notice of the intent has been published, the notice shall be read at a regularly scheduled selectmen's meeting or in the case of a city, a city council meeting.
III. If any descendants were located and grant permission, or if no descendants were located, then, after a public hearing, the municipality may declare the burial ground abandoned by a majority vote of the selectmen or city councilmen present and voting.