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Zeeland commission advances cemetery fee increases; declines a dog ban
Summary
City staff proposed several cemetery fee increases and commissioners agreed to include them in the FY2027 budget process; the commission declined a ban on dogs in cemeteries, directing staff to improve receptacle access and signage.
Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Kevin Plockmeyer reviewed staff-recommended cemetery fee adjustments at the March 11, 2026 meeting of the Cemetery-Parks Commission. Recommendations included raising the resident adult grave charge from $350 to $450; adult burial fees from $450 to $525 or $550; cremains burial by $50 to $125; Saturday burial fees from $200 to $300; and increasing resident and nonresident columbarium purchase rates (currently $550 resident and $1,700 nonresident). Commissioners did not object and staff will include the recommendations in the FY2027 budget process.
The commission also considered a request to ban dogs from city cemeteries after incidents of walkers failing to restrain or clean up after animals at grave sites. Staff advised that the city would face enforcement challenges for a blanket ban; commissioners were not in favor of adopting a ban and directed staff to make waste receptacles more accessible and to review signage options. The minutes note that a dog waste receptacle at Lincoln Cemetery is currently inaccessible due to nearby construction.
Staff provided a burial and sales report: Lincoln Cemetery burials — resident 3, non-resident 9; Felch burials — resident 2, non-resident 2; Lincoln sales — resident 0, non-resident 3; Felch sales — resident 5, non-resident 5; three sellbacks and three transfers at Lincoln. City staff also updated the commission on the Church Street construction project affecting Lincoln Cemetery and on Paw Paw Footbridge Park vegetation management. Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen asked how many burials are allowed in a single cemetery plot; Kevin Plockmeyer said he will check with Cemetery Parks Supervisor Mike Bronkhorst and follow up with the commission.
The commission voted earlier in the meeting to approve the December 10, 2025 meeting minutes (motion by Sue Lucas, support by Thom Parker; all in favor). No formal vote was recorded for the fee recommendation or the dog-ban decision; both items will proceed through staff work and the budget process.
