The Hope Cemetery Commission on Monday reviewed the fiscal 2026 operating and capital budgets and heard that the City of Worcester has identified $250,000 to begin the review and design of a new maintenance area at Hope Cemetery.

Assistant Commissioner (name not specified), speaking to the commission, said, “Within the capital budget, we have identified Hope Cemetery for $250,000 to begin the review and design of the maintenance area.” The assistant commissioner also said the capital-equipment line includes funding to upgrade cemetery software, estimated “somewhere in that 100 to a 100 to 200 range.”

The commission heard a schedule for the planning process. Assistant Commissioner (name not specified) told the commission the city plans to solicit a consultant contract beginning July 1 for design and review work; staff anticipate conceptual options in the fall, a public hearing in October and a final commission review around November or December so the project can be considered in the fiscal 2027 budget process. “And then I would envision sometime in the fall to come to the Commission to say, okay, here are the things that we think can work,” the assistant commissioner said.

Staff emphasized the work would start as a schematic design and prioritized, phased project. The assistant commissioner described logistics the consultant will evaluate, including site survey work from the New York Street entrance up to Webster Street and the service loop, storage needs for items currently held in the barn during any building work, and options ranging from renovation of the barn to new construction.

The assistant commissioner said the consultant team will include necessary subconsultants — for example, electrical, mechanical, landscaping and stormwater — and that the city expects to retain the same consultant through design and construction oversight, while actual construction may be bid in multiple packages.

Commissioners asked about timing and phasing. Commissioner Matthew Kerwitz asked whether construction would start immediately; the assistant commissioner responded construction is not expected until fiscal 2028 at the earliest, though a small amount of work might occur at the end of fiscal 2027 depending on scheduling and budget availability.

The commission also received a brief update from Friends of Hope Cemetery. Assistant Commissioner (name not specified) said the group had applied for a Community Preservation Act grant to raise and reset flat headstones in front of the main office and held a coffee event over Memorial Day; a Friends’ annual meeting is scheduled for June 17 at 6 p.m. at the chapel.

On old business the commission moved to “file” agenda item 7(a), described as approval to prioritize Hope Cemetery capital infrastructure and rehabilitation projects for fiscal year 2026. The motion to file was put to roll call and the recorded responses on the motion included Commissioner Matthew Kerwitz (yes), Commissioner Christopher Foscher (yes), Fatima (yes) and John Deady (yes). The motion was recorded as carried by roll call. (The transcript records those individual “yes” votes as noted above.)

No formal construction contract or detailed design was approved at the meeting; staff said the next steps are procurement of a consultant for schematic design and public engagement before returning to the commission with options and recommended priorities.