Phil Smardon, who served on the Cemetery Commission, was named the State of Vermont Cemetarian of the Year at the Vermont Cemetery Association’s annual meeting in October 1999. The following is an excerpt from the presentation of this award: “Phil has been a Cemetery Commissioner since 1976, a span of 24 uninterrupted years of volunteer service. As the Sexton, he has spent hundreds of hours meeting with residents and funeral home personnel, selling cemetery lots, making out deeds, answering information for those seeking geneaology information and making the path easier for those experiencing the loss of a loved one. In addition, this volunteer position included cemetery equipment purchase, supervising the cemetery personnel and drafting and keeping track of the budget. Any Selectboard member can attest that when Phil came in to present the cemetery budget he had completed his "homework”. A few years ago he envisioned a side hill of the Village Cemetery which was then unusable for conventional burials as an excellent place for a Cremation garden. He used his skills as a landscape architect to create one of the finest Cremation gardens in the state. It serves as a model for many communities who recognize the need for cremation lot areas within their cemeteries. A plaque embedded in stone at the head of the garden reads: “This memorial garden is dedicated to Phil Smardon whose vision and diligence created this special place.”