Council directs law director to draft updated cemetery-fees legislation after committee recommendation

Napoleon’s municipal properties committee presented a plan to raise cemetery lot and burial fees that have been largely unchanged for more than two decades, and the council voted to direct the law director to draft the necessary legislation.

“We presented a change in all the rates and fees for the cemeteries, in terms of the cost for lots as well as burial costs,” Committee member Weitzel told council, adding that the committee used inflation factors and neighboring local rates to compute “fair prices or fees.”

Council voted to direct the law director to draft legislation so the changes can be introduced at the next meeting. The motion to direct the law director passed by roll call with Yes votes recorded in the minutes from Ross, Ken, (others listed as Yes) and Britney.

Why it matters: Cemetery rates in Napoleon have not been adjusted for more than 20 years, the committee said, and the update would align local fees with inflation and comparable local charges.

Details: Committee members proposed increases across lot and burial categories; the law director was asked to draft a package of legislation to present at the next council meeting. The council’s vote to direct the law director did not itself change fees — it only authorized drafting and introduction of ordinances.

Next steps: The law director will prepare the ordinances and present them for council consideration at a subsequent meeting. Any fee changes would require ordinance passage before they take effect.

Ending: Council recorded the motion and directed staff to bring the proposed rate changes back as draft legislation at the next meeting.