The Sedalia City Council on July 21 approved a budget amendment and purchase to replace an aging backhoe used by the cemetery department and accepted a gift agreement from the Heckert Family Foundation to support cemetery improvements.

Chairwoman Boggess and the finance committee presented a Martin Equipment quote of $105,350 for a new backhoe, which included a trade‑in value and cooperative procurement pricing. The council adopted Resolution 21‑36 and passed bills 2025‑134 and 2025‑135 to amend the fiscal year 2026 budget and accept the vendor quote; the final votes were recorded as seven yes, one absent.

Finance committee members said the machine has exceeded its service life and that cemetery crews rely on the backhoe for grave openings, snow removal and other routine tasks. The committee noted the purchase aligns with planned improvements at Crown Hill Cemetery and with a private offer to fund a new committal‑shelter structure.

Cemetery director Roger Waters told the council the department has not changed lot prices since April 2017 and outlined the cemetery’s recent activity. “For the last 5 years, we’ve sold 77 graves a year on average. We sell 15 columbarium niches a year and average about 140 burials a year,” Waters said. He reviewed wage, insurance and equipment cost increases the department has absorbed since 2017 and asked council to review proposed price adjustments over the next two weeks.

Waters said the department’s proposed pricing would bring many charges more in line with comparable municipal cemeteries while remaining below some neighboring locations where private firms perform graveside work. He and finance staff said council could consider smaller, annual adjustments instead of larger one‑time jumps.

Separately, council approved a gift agreement (bill 2025‑139) authorizing the Heckert Family Foundation and Sue Heckert to fund cemetery facility improvements, an offer the finance committee said initiated plans for a committal shell shelter and related Crown Hill enhancements.

The council approved the backhoe purchase and accepted the gift by roll call; staff said they will return with any fee ordinance changes for council consideration.