Keokuk council authorizes $60,000 offer to buy 1728 J Street to expand Oakland Cemetery

The Keokuk City Council authorized the mayor to sign an offer to purchase a 10-acre parcel at 1728 J Street for $60,000 as potential expansion for Oakland Cemetery.

Director Carroll (speaker 5) described the parcel as adjacent to Oakland Cemetery, said the front portion around the existing house is the immediately usable area, and that part of the parcel contains the city landfill easement. Carroll told council staff would likely do much of the demolition and that filling and engineering work would be needed to convert ravine areas into burial plots. Carroll said the cemetery currently has 74 full-size plots remaining and the city has averaged roughly 20 full-size burials per year over the past five years.

Council members pressed on usable acreage and valuation; one member estimated about three acres might be readily convertible for plots and questioned paying $60,000 for an assessed valuation the member described as far lower. Carroll responded that assessed valuation is not the same as market value and noted private cemeteries (Sunset Memorial) may not be willing to sell. Finance questions were asked: staff said the purchase would be paid from the Cemetery Capital Project Fund and would be adjusted in the next reestimate.

The council approved the offer by voice vote. Staff said additional steps would include surveying usable acreage, seeking engineering advice on filling and tree removal costs, and obtaining estimates for demolition and site work before converting land to cemetery use.