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Committee weighs converting Portales cemetery to enterprise fund and approves mapping software
Summary
Committee members discussed converting the municipal cemetery from general‑fund support to an enterprise fund with an endowment to cover perpetual care; they approved recommending purchase of cemetery‑management software (implementation $20,500; $3,000/yr maintenance) to improve records and enable plot sales.
Members of the Portales Public Works Committee discussed a staff proposal to shift the municipal cemetery from general‑fund accounting to an enterprise fund supported by an endowment and adjusted burial fees, with the goal that the cemetery become self‑sustaining within about 10 years.
A staff presenter said an enterprise model combined with an endowment and reasonable fee adjustments could move the cemetery to perpetual care without continuing reliance on the general fund. The presenter summarized a pro‑forma approach and said an initial kick‑start of funding coupled with modest fee increases and donor contributions could put the cemetery on a sustainable path.
On operational records and customer service, the committee approved recommending that council purchase cemetery‑management software (presented as SimSites or equivalent) to replace fragile Excel spreadsheets. Staff described the package price at $20,500 for implementation and an ongoing maintenance fee of $3,000 per year; the software would map existing plots, support future plot sales and online transactions, and provide on‑site lookup tools for staff.
Why it matters: committee members said the software will protect institutional knowledge, reduce on‑site mistakes and speed customer service; staff also noted the software fits into broader plans for cemetery rules, fee structure and long‑term financial modeling.
Next steps: staff will incorporate the software cost and the cemetery enterprise‑fund proposal into the committee’s conceptual plan and return with detailed financial targets and draft rule changes for council consideration.
