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Residents, council debate cemetery maintenance and possible subcontracting
Summary
Councilors and residents discussed cemetery funding and maintenance, including a $10,000 miscellaneous cemetery expense and a projected $43,000 in cemetery revenue; a resident defended the current caretaker and urged the council to consider service quality when comparing subcontracting bids.
Councilors and residents raised concerns about cemetery upkeep during the budget review, focusing on a $10,000 cemetery miscellaneous expense and a projected $43,000 in cemetery revenue that must be budgeted within the cemetery fund.
A resident defending the current caretaker said the town should be cautious about subcontracting. "Everybody loves Lewis and how he takes care of this cemetery," the resident said, arguing that changing caretakers could upset families with gravesites in town plots.
Other council members acknowledged the need to compare prices if the town considers contracting out maintenance. "We can do price comparisons and see what's left," a staff member said, adding that any subcontracting decision should aim to be fiscally responsible while remaining sensitive to residents' expectations.
The council discussed balancing duties and ensuring the cemetery fund stands on its own. Staff noted the fund must show revenues and expenses within the cemetery account and said they would obtain bids and comparisons so the council could weigh cost against service quality.
No motion to change cemetery services or to terminate the current caretaker was made during the meeting; councilors asked staff to solicit bids and prepare a recommendation for a future meeting.
