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Council moves to tighten cemetery policy, adds grave-transfer fee and reviews expansion maps
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Summary
The cemetery committee presented maps and a plan to add new plots, recommended limiting new burials in older, unmarked sections and proposed a $50 fee for plot transfers. Council approved the fee increase and asked for a field inspection and ordinance updates.
The Fountain Green cemetery committee presented detailed maps showing where additional graves could be placed and explained the legal and logistical complications of reclaiming or reusing unmarked older plots. Committee leaders recommended restricting further burials in certain historic sections because survey errors and unclear burial locations create public-health and legal risks.
Committee lead Laura reviewed the state code for reclaiming unclaimed graves and said the process is onerous: locating last-known owners, a three-week newspaper posting and a 30-day waiting period. She said few plots appear eligible for reclamation under the statute, and that attempting to repurpose large older sections risked disturbing existing burials.
The committee also proposed administrative changes, including requiring flat markers in newly created drive-aisle sections and adjusting how perpetual-care differences are handled when plots are transferred. Council approved an immediate change to the transfer fee (raising the administrative transfer fee from $0 to $50) and instructed staff to host a site visit with council members before adopting any land-use changes.
"We have to be careful with the old sections — there is too much risk," a committee member said, advising the council to prioritize safety and clear documentation in any expansion plan. The council directed staff to work with the committee and legal counsel to draft any ordinance changes and to return with specific text and proposed implementation steps.