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Waukesha cemetery commission approves 5% price increase to rebuild reserve after $21,429 emergency repair
Summary
The Waukesha City Cemetery Commission approved a 5% across‑the‑board price increase for 2025 to respond to rising costs and replenish a reserve fund that staff said has fallen to under 1% of required levels after emergency mausoleum repairs cost $21,429.
Chair Amanda Ratti presided over the Cemetery Commission on Dec. 17 as members approved a 5% across‑the‑board increase to cemetery product and service prices for 2025, a change staff said is intended to rebuild a reserve the director described as “less than 1%.”
The increase was presented by Karen, the cemetery director, who told commissioners that vendors and payroll costs are rising and that staff recommends a uniform 5% adjustment—rounded to the nearest $5—rather than itemizing a range of separate price changes. Karen said the city code calls for the cemetery reserve to be 5% of the balance of other trust funds and that the commission’s reserve currently falls well short of that target. “Our reserve fund for the cemetery … it's less than 1%,” she said.
Karen told the commission the shortfall became apparent after staff covered emergency roofing repairs to the Autumn Garden mausoleum this year. The work was performed before winter and paid by transferring funds between accounts; Karen stated the cost as $21,429. “It was $21,429,” she said, describing a subsequent full inspection of mausoleums and a plan to catalogue building needs for future budgeting.
Commission members discussed administrative benefits of a percentage‑based change—staff said it is easier to enter in the cemetery software—and noted the cemetery had not had major price adjustments in several years. Tom Brown moved to approve the proposed 2025 pricing; a colleague seconded the motion and the commission voted in favor. The transcript does not record a detailed roll-call tally in the minutes provided.
The director said she will meet with the finance director in January to identify how much of the new revenue can be allocated to the reserve and to align accounting with the city code requirement. The commission set its next meeting for Feb. 10.
What’s next: staff will meet with the finance director to determine reserve replenishment plans and provide updated budget figures at the commission’s next meeting on Feb. 10.
