Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cemetery Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews revised cemetery ordinance, discusses reclaiming unused plots
Summary
Wallsburg council reviewed an updated cemetery ordinance that adds a reclaiming procedure for long-unused plots, proposed a fixed buy-back for pre-2010 purchases, and asked staff to draft public-notice language to reach possible claimants.
Wallsburg — Council members reviewed edits to the town’s cemetery ordinance March 20, including clearer wording, a new process for reclaiming unused lots and guidance on repurchasing plots.
A staff-drafted index and color-coded cemetery map do not fully match historic ownership records; members discussed requiring proof of ownership before reclaiming a lot and posting public notices (newspaper and public-notice website) to notify possible claimants. For plots purchased before 2010 — when records are sparse — a $100 town buy-back figure was discussed as a practical fixed amount for the limited cases where the town offers to repurchase older plots. Councilmembers asked staff to review records and prepare notice language and a claimant-procedure for upcoming meetings.
Members noted the sensitivity of reclaiming lots where graves may predate clear documentation and emphasized that any reclaiming process should require documented proof of abandonment or explicit notice procedures before sale or re-assignment.
