Oklahoma County commissioners voted Dec. 8 to raise the reimbursement rate for ARPA-funded cremations and burials from $385 per person to $400 citing rising costs. Speaker 2, presenting Christine’s trend report, moved the recommendation; Speaker 1 seconded and the motion passed on the record.

Speaker 2 summarized projected remaining balances under two scenarios: a higher-volume scenario of 18 approved cremations per month would leave roughly $26,390 unspent at Dec. 31, 2026; the historic average approval rate is about 13 per month and, depending on volume, the program could have up to about $60,000 remaining, Speaker 2 said. Commissioners asked questions about historic averages and recent monthly highs.

Speaker 2 said the requested increase — from $385 to $400 — responds to inflation and increased vendor costs; staff noted funeral homes are waiving a medical-exam fee that has otherwise risen. Commissioners asked for fiscal prudence: Speaker 1 asked staff to return six months before the expenditure deadline (June–July 2026) with an updated balance and potential reallocation recommendations.

Motion and next steps: Speaker 2 moved to recommend adjusting the rate to $400, Speaker 1 seconded, and the record shows the board voted 'Aye.' Staff was directed to monitor monthly approvals and return mid-2026 with a fresh projection to guide any decisions on reallocating residual funds.