Lebanon — The city’s cemeteries soon will come under the care of a new group tasked with managing and preserving Lebanon’s eight burying grounds.

The Lebanon City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to form a Board of Cemetery Trustees, made up of five appointed, volunteer members.

The group, which will meet monthly, is expected to make regular recommendations regarding care of the cemeteries, and will establish a program to repair damaged headstone and memorials, according to regulations adopted by the City Council.

Creation of a permanent group that could direct cemetery operations was among several proposals put forward in March by a city task force, which worried that Lebanon’s Public Works Department couldn’t devote the resources needed to restore historic plots.

The task force — which included members of the Lebanon Heritage Committee, Lebanon Historical Society, veterans organizations and funeral homes — studied over several months how to best preserve deteriorating headstones and markers that have plagues the city’s historic cemeteries.

Formation of the cemetery group was welcome news to Fran Hanchett, president of the Lebanon Historical Society, who has long advocated for cemetery restoration efforts.

“I’m all for it. We need to do something about our cemeteries and this is a good thing,” she said, in an audio recording of Wednesday’s meeting.

City officials now are looking for Lebanon residents to serve on the new board. People can find applications on the city website at https://lebanonnh.gov/492/City-Clerk.

— Tim Camerato