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City staff seeks vault‑lowering device, trailer and secured storage for cemetery operations
Summary
Parks and Recreation staff asked the board for a vault‑lowering device, a dump trailer, a backhoe similar in size to the current machine, and additional secured storage and fencing to improve cemetery maintenance and safety; budgeting would align with the city fiscal year.
Parks and Recreation staff told the Parks and Recreation board at the meeting that they are requesting a vault‑lowering device, a dump trailer, additional secured storage and a backhoe to improve cemetery operations and reduce reliance on borrowed equipment.
The requests are intended to make staff work more efficient and safer. Parks and Recreation staff said, "For a a vault lowering device that would enable us to lower the heavier vaults ourselves." The staff member added that "Some of them do, and there is a charge for it. And often, they can't they can't get their equipment where it needs to be, and we end up having to set them anyway."
The staff member described the vault‑lowering device as usable behind a tractor rather than requiring a full‑size truck, saying, "Ours would be able to function behind a tractor in in instead of being behind a full size truck." The staff member also requested "a dump trailer for the cemetery staff to utilize for opening and closing graves" and "additional storage in and around their maintenance shop" because cemetery crews currently borrow equipment from elsewhere in the city.
On access and security, the staff member said there is limited restricted access now: "There is, there is no restricted access, other than the the 2 shops that are out there to keep people that are at the cemetery, away from equipment." The presentation included a request to add storage and fencing to restrict access when staff are not present.
Board members asked questions about vehicle size and timing. A board member asked whether the proposed tractor would be as large as the current one; the staff member replied the backhoe being requested "will be very similar in size to what we have currently." When a board member noted that the fiscal year starts Oct. 1 and asked about timing, the staff member confirmed the fiscal year and the board member said that August and September would be used to "massage the numbers."
No formal motion or vote on these equipment requests was recorded at the meeting. The staff presentation indicated the requests will be included in upcoming budgeting discussions aligned with the city's fiscal calendar.
