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Mabton council, residents spar over cemetery fees, infant rate and perpetual care
Summary
Council and residents debated cemetery fees for infant plots, care-and-maintenance charges and temporary markers. Residents urged lower infant-opening costs and questioned a proposed $300 perpetual-care fee; staff said the fee offsets overtime and maintenance costs.
A lengthy public discussion and council review focused on proposed changes to Mabton’s cemetery fees, including opening/closing rates, infant and child pricing, temporary markers and a proposed perpetual-care (lifetime maintenance) charge.
A resident questioned charging families an additional $300 for perpetual care when public-works staff already mow and maintain the grounds: “I don't think residents should not be paid an additional $300 for care and maintenance … they're already on the clock,” the speaker said, arguing that the city’s employees perform the work. Council members and staff pushed back that the perpetual-care fund is intended to offset long-term costs: “The care and maintenance is designed to help offset the costs that we incur in having our guys go in there and mow and weed eat,” a staff member explained, noting union rules about overtime and standby pay.
The council discussed creating a distinct child/toddler category instead of the present infant/adult split and debated age or size cutoffs (proposals ranged from 0–3 months to 0–6 years for a reduced child rate). Staff provided examples of current charges (an infant opening cited in discussion was about $760 and adult openings about $800) and said some discrepancies on receipts would be reviewed with constituents. Members asked to physically inspect the cemetery to assess maintenance needs before finalizing any fee increases.
No formal recorded roll-call vote appeared in the transcript; council members reached tentative agreement on some rates (staff listed proposed figures in the packet) and asked staff to return with clarified line items and inspection notes.
