In Little Falls, questions about who is really in charge at Oakland Cemetery are piling up almost as quickly as the weeds. Families say they have found tall grass swallowing markers, headstones half-hidden, and downed trees left sitting where they fell. Now a sharp spike in the cemetery caretaker’s reported pay and the presence of deceased people listed as directors on tax forms have turned a simmering frustration into a full-on local controversy.
Payroll spike and shrinking assets
Federal tax filings show Brian‑Paul Klein Crowder, listed as the cemetery’s superintendent and treasurer, as the only paid board member. His reported compensation rose steeply in recent years. According to ProPublica, Crowder’s reported pay jumped from roughly $5,970 in earlier filings to about $79,466 in the most recent return, even as the association’s net assets have been trending downward since 2016. Plot owners who say they are watching the grounds deteriorate as financial reserves slip are openly wondering how those priorities were set.
Dead names on the 990
Last year’s Form 990 lists five directors, including Judy Polasek and Margaret Flolid, but both died after that filing, as reported by KSTP. Polasek’s obituary records her death on Jan. 24, 2025, and notes her burial at Oakland Cemetery, according to Legacy. Asked about the payroll jump, Crowder defended the increase to KSTP, saying, “I did receive a substantial increase … but it’s because I worked my tail off.”
State funding push stalled
In 2025, Rep. Ron Kresha introduced a bill that would have sent $100,000 a year to Oakland Cemetery for maintenance, routing the money through the Minnesota Historical Society. The proposal appears on the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes’ site under HF3171 and caught the eye of residents looking for help with upkeep costs. The plan, however, did not turn into a recurring funding line in state budgets, leaving the nonprofit’s existing leadership structure and finances under even closer scrutiny.
Conflicts and transparency questions
Neighbors say they feel shut out of decisions that affect their loved ones’ graves. Some report they cannot easily find out when the board meets or how choices about spending and maintenance are made. The association’s 2024 Form 990 names Danielle Butler and Roberta Butler as directors, and KSTP reported that both women are Crowder’s nieces. Crowder told reporters the group sometimes keeps long‑standing members on the board “as a courtesy,” a practice that has only intensified calls for clearer governance and outside oversight.
Residents want answers
Many plot owners say the fixes they are asking for are basic: posted meeting minutes, an accurate and updated board roster, and financial disclosures that spell out how money is being used to care for the grounds. Until that happens, community members say they intend to keep pressing the association and their local representatives for transparency, accountability, and a cemetery that reflects the respect they believe their families are owed.
