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Beach Grove Cemetery budget details: camera system, equipment purchases and historic-fence repairs
Summary
The finance committee reviewed Beach Grove Cemetery's 2026 budget, including lower alarm costs after last year's camera purchase, periodic equipment purchases, an endowment-style fund providing beautification money, and significant historic-fence repair costs that the department is addressing incrementally.
The Finance Committee reviewed the Beach Grove Cemetery budget and discussed equipment replacement, security systems, and historic-fence repairs.
Staff said the alarm and camera line was lower for 2026 because the city purchased a new camera and alarm system for the cemetery in the prior year; the 2026 budget covers quarterly service fees. "Last year's... the 2025 budget was the cost of the system itself. The $2,500 for this year is gonna be the monthly... quarterly service fees," a staff member said.
Uniform and tool allowance spending patterns were discussed; staff explained employees often use their uniform allowance late in the year and that a negotiated tool allowance increase from $750 to $1,000 produced higher June spending in that line. Staff reported unemployment costs were effectively zero through June and that receipts were up modestly.
Committee members asked about a roughly $6,700 grant the cemetery received; staff said the amount had accumulated in a community fund after a volunteer group folded and that the funds are restricted to beautification projects in the cemetery. The committee discussed fence repairs and noted that work done in-house has avoided much higher contractor estimates for large-scale reconstruction.
Cemetery staff said one-time capital purchases this year would include additional mowers and equipment to reduce costly parts spending on older mowers. Staff said new mowers carry warranties that reduce near-term maintenance expense.
No formal budget vote occurred during the working session; staff will continue phased repairs and seek efficiency gains to stretch limited funds.
