Duxbury committee approves modest crematory fee increases

The Duxbury Fiscal Advisory Committee voted to approve modest increases to crematory fees following a presentation from the superintendent of the town cemeteries and crematory.

Chip Luck, superintendent of cemeteries and the crematory, told the committee he is proposing a $25 increase for the standard adult cremation container and a $50 increase for wooden caskets. He said the increases respond to rising costs for labor, software and utilities, noting the crematory’s software expense recently doubled and natural gas and electricity costs have climbed in the past two years.

“Everything’s going up on me,” Luck said, and he told the committee workforce and repair costs — including scarce refractory specialists for the crematory units — have limited options and driven price pressure. Luck said he prefers smaller, incremental fee increases rather than a single large increase to avoid unduly burdening funeral homes that use the facility.

Committee members pressed on volumes and operations. Luck said the crematory handled about 2,830 cremations with cardboard containers and about 63 wooden caskets last year, and explained wooden caskets take longer to cremate and require morning scheduling because of longer cooling times. Members noted utility costs are a significant portion of total cremation expenses and discussed how the proposed increases relate to estimated utility increases.

A motion to approve the fee adjustments as described in the May 5 memo was made and seconded, and the chair called the vote; the motion carried. The town will implement the fee changes as approved.