Cemetery mapping, unknown‑owner graves and irrigation needs prompt new cemetery budget

Sonia, who the city manager identified as the cemetery sexton, told the council she has spent much of her time reconciling deed books and mapping burial plots and said many graves are marked with an unknown owner. “My day is 70% cemetery,” Sonia said, describing an effort to update deed records and to use ground‑penetrating radar to locate unmarked graves; she estimated a radar survey and training could open roughly 50 identified plots.

Sonia and City Manager Laura proposed a newly separated cemetery budget and some immediate investments in equipment and staff time. Laura said the city will designate salary and benefits for the sexton and is assigning line items for cemetery costs that previously were grouped under parks.

Councilors and staff discussed irrigation upgrades as a priority. Council Vice Mayor Garner and others urged rapid action to reduce manual watering costs and conserve water. Public works staff outlined options including solar‑controlled valves and phased capital work to replace heads and valves; one councilor estimated the system could be rebuilt in sections over multiple years. The idea of a cemetery district (a voter‑approved mill to fund cemetery operations) was raised as a longer‑term dedicated revenue option.

The session also covered proposed fee increases (burial and service fees) to better reflect staff time: the city noted a single burial can require eight to ten staff hours. Council did not adopt final fee changes at the session; staff said proposed fees and capital scopes would return for formal action.