Bluff council authorizes manager to complete purchase of cemetery parcel and approves lot-line adjustment

The Bluff Town Council authorized the town manager to finalize the purchase of 1.84 acres adjacent to the town cemetery and approved a lot-line adjustment to record the parcel.

The council passed a resolution authorizing the town manager to execute the final purchase documents—contingent on there being no major surprises—so the transaction could be completed before the end of the fiscal year and count as match for a state cemetery grant. Staff said the Southwest Heritage Foundation had requested $10,000 in consideration for the sale and that the parcel contains approximately half of the current burial sites. The council approved the authorization by roll call, 5–0, and separately approved a lot-line adjustment allowing the town to record the newly owned parcel.

Why it matters: Acquiring the parcel will allow the town to control and record the cemetery parcel and satisfy timing requirements tied to state grant matching. Staff said legal counsel is preparing standard conveyance documents (cited as a warranty deed recommendation) and that if major legal issues arise the council could postpone final execution or call a special meeting.

Staff detail and support: Aaron Nelson, the town manager, said he had spoken with the Southwest Heritage Foundation’s executive director, Bill Davis, who remained supportive of the timeline. Staff also noted prior matching funds tracked by former mayor Anne Leppinen that could contribute to the overall match if needed. Legal counsel recommended warranty-deed language to secure the town’s interest.

Vote and record: Both the authorization to execute the purchase agreement and the lot-line adjustment were adopted by roll-call votes recorded in the transcript as unanimous (5–0). The audio record did not include full, named roll-call recordings for each individual council member in the excerpt provided; the record lists tallies.