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Cleveland council updates cemetery fee schedule; city to offer burial option and consider adding urn spaces
Summary
The City Council approved revisions to the master fee schedule affecting cemetery urn spaces and instructions to explore converting additional grave spaces into urn spaces. The council approved the change 5-0; staff said the new schedule will include city-performed burial/dirt removal and further detail will return to council.
Cleveland City Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday to adopt changes to the city's master fee schedule affecting cemetery urn spaces and to direct staff to investigate converting additional spaces for urn interments.
City staff reported the current urn-space fee is $150 and that nearby cemeteries charge between $1,095 and $4,000 for similar spaces. The city's parks and cemetery superintendent, identified in discussion as Cody, recommended updating the schedule to add resident and nonresident pricing and to include the city performing dirt removal and burial labor as part of the fee.
"He called around and got the rates in the closest areas...they range anywhere from a thousand 95 up to $4,000 for just to urn space," a city staff member said in the meeting packet presentation.
Staff also told council the cemetery currently has nine urn spaces remaining and that the superintendent said he could convert eight existing grave spaces into 32 urn spaces; council asked staff to return next month with a map and more detail if the council wished to pursue the conversion.
The staff presentation said the new fees would include the city's performing the dirt removal and covering the burial. The presentation noted that weekend or after-hours services would incur an additional charge to cover overtime labor, but the staff presentation did not specify the overtime figure in the meeting discussion.
Councilmember Buckley moved to approve the fee-schedule update; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Mike Waters and carried 5 to 0.
Why it matters: The update affects costs and available interment options for residents and nonresidents and may increase the number of urn spaces available in city cemeteries if the conversion proceeds.
Staff will return next month with location details for the potential conversion of grave spaces to urn spaces so council can consider a final plan and any associated operational details.
