Council agrees to investigate city takeover of Memorial Garden Cemetery

Owners of the privately held Memorial Garden Cemetery have offered to transfer the property to the city, and council members asked staff to investigate the legal, fiscal and operational implications before advancing the offer.

A staff presentation said about 34 acres are developed with remaining acreage undeveloped. Council members and staff raised questions about why owners would convey the land, how many unsold plots remain, whether a perpetual fund exists to support maintenance, and what equipment and personnel the city would need to assume care of the cemetery.

Council discussion focused on capacity and costs: one council member said plot sales at another cemetery illustrated how perpetual funds are relatively small per plot (for example, $42 of a $455 lot sale going into a perpetual fund was cited as an illustration), and staff warned that the city’s cemetery crew (currently three full-time employees) likely could not maintain an additional cemetery without more staff or equipment. Equipment needs were highlighted (the council noted a recent $140,000 backhoe purchase) and members asked whether other models, such as columbariums, could offset burial limitations.

Members asked staff to gather specific information — the original ownership/lease and any court orders concerning the property, the number of remaining plots, whether a perpetual fund exists and its balance, whether the site’s topography allows burials or requires alternative interment options, and a compilation of anticipated personnel and equipment costs. Several members said Duncan’s experience operating a transferred cemetery (including columbarium options) may offer lessons.

Next steps: staff will research and return with legal documentation, a financial analysis and operational estimates to help the council determine whether to accept the transfer. No formal vote or transfer occurred at the meeting.