Board approves establishment license for Horizon Cremations Chattanooga LLC

The Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers voted on Jan. 14 to approve an application for Horizon Cremations Chattanooga LLC to operate a storefront establishment in East Ridge, Tennessee.

Applicant and proposed manager Josh Ann Long introduced himself and described the business as a storefront that will use MD Dodson and Sons Funeral Home (Cleveland) for embalming and in-facility preparation and will use a crematory in nearby Georgia for cremations. Long said the office will be used for family meetings, identifications and paperwork, and that viewings and preparation would occur at the contracted funeral home; a letter of agreement with Dodson’s was on file with the board.

Why it matters: the board must approve establishment licenses and managers to ensure facilities, contracts and third-party arrangements comply with state rules about identification, preparation and disclosure.

Board checks and approval

Field inspection and staff review reported the proposed East Ridge storefront met inspection requirements and had required documentation, including a general price list. Board members asked where viewings and embalming would occur (on-site at the partnering Dodson facility) and confirmed zoning and other documentation was in order. The board then moved to accept the application and grant the establishment license; the motion carried.

Outcome and next steps

Horizon Cremations Chattanooga LLC’s establishment license was approved and the intended manager, Josh Ann Long, was congratulated. Board staff told Long to keep in contact with licensing staff for any further paperwork and inspections required by the department.

Ending

Board members noted the applicant should contact staff as needed and reminded him of compliance expectations once the establishment begins operations.