Michigan City Cemetery Trustees elect officers, accept 2025 finances and approve truck purchase

The Michigan City Board of Cemetery Trustees elected officers for 2026, accepted its 2025 financial report and approved a recommendation to purchase a replacement Ford F-250 for cemetery operations at a quoted price of $44,993.

At the board’s Jan. 15 meeting, trustees nominated and voted to approve the slate of officers (nominations accepted and carried by voice vote). The board then approved the Dec. 11 meeting minutes and accepted the Horizon Bank investment summary and the cemetery department’s annual financial report.

Superintendent Jeff reviewed operational and financial figures for 2025, saying, “for the entire year of 2025, we performed 93 ash internments, 113 full burials, and 18 entombments for a grand total of 224 internments.” He reported gross sales and service income of $431,017.19 and total disbursements of $737,022.95; the city provided just over $1,000,000 in budget support for 2025, and the department runs an operating shortfall the city backfills each year. Jeff also listed account balances, including a Greenwood permanent maintenance fund of $1,090,346.25 and a Swan Lake permanent maintenance fund around $600,082.09.

Jeff explained interest income on the cemetery trust accounts totaled roughly $141,755.14 for the reporting period but cautioned that a 2024 deposit timing issue made year-to-year comparisons misleading. He noted several smaller dedicated accounts (blanket/refund approximately $36,514.18; flower fund about $2,701.52; Dabbert vault $609.67; Lutz vault $2,093.84) and trust management fees of $8,673.91 for the year.

The board discussed maintenance and capital needs, and Jeff presented three dealer quotes for a new F-250 used for cemetery snow removal and operations. He recommended the lowest Ford quote from Grama Ford at $44,993. A trustee moved to accept the recommendation; the motion was seconded and carried with no recorded negatives. Jeff said Councilman Presbylinski has agreed to sponsor a city-council resolution to transfer the necessary funds into the capital line item; Jeff expects to appear at the first council meeting in February to request that single reading resolution.

Jeff also summarized 2025 capital accomplishments — office remodels, flooring and painting, well repairs and landscaping work — and outlined 2026 projects including sign designs funded by a mayoral grant, asphalt and door repairs, Chapel of Chimes landscaping, and continued records indexing. He demonstrated the new cemetery page on the city website and described features that include a searchable burial-record index, photo galleries and a condolence submission function; the board will work with the city attorney to adopt moderation rules for submitted content. Jeff noted a SemSites-related directions feature was temporarily unavailable and staff will follow up with the vendor.

There were no public comments. The board adjourned after completing the agenda.