Cemetery staff reported progress digitizing burial records and asked the commission to approve maintenance and security improvements at city cemeteries.

Staff said this fiscal year they digitized and uploaded previously paper-only records (Westview and other city cemeteries) into the city’s shared network, ending a decades‑old practice of taped paper records and improving the ability to locate and verify burials. Staff said the digital records will reduce search time for family requests and make it easier to maintain accurate plots and historic data.

Cemetery staff and public works described maintenance needs: storm-damaged trees and limbs, security upgrades, restroom repairs (staff noted vandalism and asked for efforts to secure and restore restroom facilities), and lighting improvements for safety. Staff asked for routine preservation and for the commission to consider targeted grant opportunities for historic-cemetery preservation.

Commissioners praised the digitization work and requested staff return with cost estimates for lighting, restroom repairs and any grant-application materials needed for historic-preservation funding.

Ending

Staff will provide estimates and a recommended scope of work for cemetery safety and preservation at the next budget review.