Benton County staff recommends keeping veteran grave payments after state rule repeal; supervisors keep rate and raise budget

BENTON COUNTY — County staff told the Board of Supervisors that Iowa Code section 35B0.17, the state provision governing maintenance‑of‑graves payments, has been repealed and that the change removes any state requirement that the county pay for veterans’ graves.

As a result, county staff presented an inventory of local cemeteries and invoices and recommended that the county keep its current payment level of $5 per veteran grave, noting Benton County already ranks “one of the highest paying counties in the state” under that program. “Since that code section’s been repealed, there’s no laws or anything that require us to pay anything,” a county staff member said. “If we wanted to keep it the same, we could do that as well.”

The recommendation was framed as a policy decision for the supervisors rather than a mandated change. Staff provided supervisors with a list showing which cemeteries currently receive payments, which reported perpetual‑care funds, and copies of recent invoices. Staff also flagged inconsistencies in older invoices where some cemeteries had marked plots as under perpetual care but still received county payments for certain veteran graves.

Supervisors discussed practical details: how many veterans are listed at particular cemeteries, potential duplication with township support, and whether a simple application or attestation form should be required for cemeteries requesting payment. One supervisor suggested creating a form to clarify whether a cemetery receives investments or perpetual care and to standardize future requests.

On budget lines, staff noted the current county budget shows roughly $2,800 in potential liability if all known invoices are submitted. After discussion, supervisors said they preferred to keep the veteran grave payment program in place at the existing $5 per grave and to increase the budgeted amount for care of graves from $1,500 to $3,000 to better cover likely invoices. “I think keep it as is. If it comes back that some of these other folks apply for money and she needs more, I don’t my personal view is I don’t see that as a problem,” one supervisor said.

Staff said they will continue to collect updated cemetery inventories, follow up on invoices, and prepare a simple application form for cemetery reimbursement requests. No formal motion to change the payment rate was made; supervisors verbally agreed to maintain the $5 rate and to raise the budgeted funding.

The matter may return if additional cemetery invoices or updated inventory information requires a further budget amendment.