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Newnan to outsource grave opening/closing after ordinance change; staff cited staffing and cost tradeoffs
Summary
Council voted to allow outsourcing of burial opening and closing services and approved a text amendment to the city's code after staff said in-house work would require hiring up to four full-time employees at $70,550 each annually to maintain a 10-day cycle.
Newnan — The Newnan City Council voted unanimously May 13 to allow outsourcing of burial opening and closing services in city cemeteries and to amend the municipal code to permit such contracts.
City staff reviewed cemetery operations and said the Cemetery Department's 10 employees currently maintain Oak Hill and Boone Drive on a 10-day cycle; bringing Eastview and Eastview Annex maintenance back in-house would add two to three days to that cycle, and adding Farmer Street maintenance would add about one day. To maintain a 10-day cycle while performing openings/closings in-house, staff said the city might need to hire up to four full-time employees, with a quoted cost of $70,550 annually per employee.
Staff also reported a request for proposals issued after a November 2024 council discussion produced two bids received January 7, 2025, with weekday prices ranging from $850 to $900. Staff noted the city's internal weekday charge for the same service is $600. Council voted unanimously to outsource opening/closing services and to amend the code to allow outsourcing.
The ordinance amendment will enable the city to contract for burial openings and closings; staff said they believe a 14-day maintenance cycle would create unacceptable conditions and that outsourcing is the preferred option to preserve the 10-day schedule without the additional hire costs.
Council did not specify the vendor in the meeting; procurement and contract documents will follow normal purchasing procedures.
