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Cemetery commission proposes test columbarium; asks town for $45,000
Summary
Coventry Cemetery Commission proposed purchasing a 60-niche columbarium to increase cremation capacity, offering $30,000 from commission funds and requesting the town cover about $45,000 of an estimated $75,000 project.
The Coventry Cemetery Commission told the Finance Committee on May 11 that it wants the town to help pay for a trial columbarium at Coventry Cemetery, the town’s primary revenue-generating burial ground.
Keving Arpin, chair of the Cemetery Commission, said the cemetery’s Phase 1 capacity has dropped to roughly one-third and urged planning before the lot reaches capacity. The proposal calls for a single upright columbarium with 60 niches, each able to hold two cremains, and an estimated total project cost of $75,000 to cover the unit, installation, walkway and landscaping. "We don’t want Phase 1 to get to 0% before planning Phase 2," Arpin said.
Claudine Vieten, a commission member, said the commission would contribute $30,000 from its accounts and asked the town to provide the remaining roughly $45,000. Presenters compared niche pricing in nearby towns — Somers ($1,675–$1,975 depending on niche), Enfield ($1,500) — and proposed a Coventry price of $1,875 per niche. The commission noted the cemetery still has about 177 burial lots remaining and that a columbarium is an efficient option that does not require digging.
Committee members asked about a small trust account tied to cemetery funds. Arpin said the trust holds approximately $18,000 and that past finance directors had limited success tracing its origins; he suggested drawing only $5,000–$10,000 if the trust were used and urged caution until the legal status of the trust is clarified. Chairwoman Robyn Gallagher recommended seeking a legal opinion but noted the commission and town were also concerned that legal fees could deplete the trust.
Town Manager James Drumm confirmed the project is included in next year’s capital plan because the commission is willing to contribute funds. The Cemetery Commission also presented a warranty-backed product source and said other towns using similar columbaria have not reported issues.
The Finance Committee took the presentation under advisement; no formal funding motion for the columbarium purchase was recorded at the meeting. The commission and staff said any further action would be coordinated with the Town Council.
