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Anacortes staff say Grandview Cemetery fees fall short of actual costs; council to consider rate adjustments
Summary
Parks staff presented a proposal to raise Grandview Cemetery fees after analysis showing current service fees underrecover marginal costs (example: full casket burial fee $553 vs. marginal cost $1,725). Staff will return with code updates and a unified fee schedule proposal in coming weeks.
Parks Department staff briefed Anacortes City Council on Jan. 26 about proposed increases to Grandview Cemetery fees after an internal review showed many current charges do not cover marginal service costs.
Parks staffer Mister Lunsford and program researcher Darby Jordan said the city's marginal cost for a full casket burial — labor and equipment — is approximately $1,725 while the current fee charged is $553. "If you want a full casket burial... the current fee that we charge is $553. Our actual cost and labor equipment is $1,725 to perform that service," Lunsford told the council. Similar gaps exist for urn internments (city fee $257 vs. actual $680) and overtime burials.
Staff described plans to add columbariums (above‑ground niches) arriving in March and to pursue code updates that would enable green or composted burial options; those code changes and fee updates would be brought back via the city's unified fee schedule, likely within late Q1 or Q2. Lunsford said the marginal costs cited do not include endowment care (ongoing mowing and upkeep) which is funded separately.
Council discussed whether pre‑need (preneed) burial agreements exist (staff said none), the possibility of indexing fees to CPI to reduce the need for frequent adjustments, and the equity impact of increased burial costs. No fee changes were adopted at the meeting; staff were asked to prepare formal fee ordinance/resolution language and unified fee schedule items for a future council meeting.
