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Commissioners discuss county and township responsibilities for veteran burials and benefit offsets
Summary
Commissioners reviewed how the county and townships handle burials when no relatives are found, citing a county contribution previously given ($600), Smithfield Township's typical budget for burials (~$1,200 each), and VA burial/headstone allowances discussed in the meeting as $500 and $100 respectively; no policy change was made.
DeKalb County commissioners discussed how burials are handled when a township resident dies with no relatives able to arrange interment. The Chair and other participants said township governments are typically responsible for arranging burials in those cases and noted that Smithfield Township budgets for approximately three burials a year at roughly $1,200 each.
Participants said the county has in the past contributed $600 toward such burials in some circumstances. A commissioner noted that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides a one-time burial allowance that was discussed in the meeting as $500 and a one-time headstone allowance discussed as $100; participants said they would verify exact VA rules and eligibility.
There was general agreement among the commissioners present that contributing to veteran burials is an appropriate goodwill gesture; no formal change to county policy or definitive new funding level was adopted at the session.
