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Council hears public comment on cemetery improvements; $100,000 placeholder proposed for cemetery improvements
Summary
Residents and cemetery board members urged improvements to the historic cemetery. Council discussed a $100,000 placeholder in the tentative budget for cemetery improvements, agreed to label it "cemetery improvements" rather than a dedicated fence line item, and asked the cemetery board to refine options and bids.
Public comment and the budget review on May 21 included an extended discussion of possible upgrades to the town cemetery, including a proposed fence and other improvements.
During the budget presentation, the budget manager said the cemetery committee had requested about $100,000 for a fence. A cemetery representative and members of the public spoke in support of preserving the site. A representative of the historical society advised that installing irrigation or sprinklers could conflict with maintaining the site as a historical cemetery.
Council members discussed alternatives to an immediate fence purchase: improving the cemetery entrance, landscaping, or choosing imitation wrought-iron panels versus historically accurate wrought iron. One councilmember suggested allocating funds as a general "cemetery improvements" line rather than labeling it exclusively for a fence so the cemetery board could seek bids and refine the project. The council did not finalize the expenditure; members agreed the placeholder could remain in the tentative budget and be adjusted after the cemetery board returns with detailed options and bids.
Staff also noted the town has been setting aside $5,000 annually in a cemetery fund that has remained unused and that grants had been sought previously without success for this purpose. The council asked the cemetery board to obtain bids and clarify whether the board wants a full historic wrought-iron fence, pre-made panels, entrance improvements, or other targeted work before the final budget adoption.
