HomeMy WebLinkAboutFull Res 4342
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Thom White, Park/Cemetery Superintendent
Ron Dingman, Park and Recreation Director
SUBJECT: Sunset Hills Cemetery fee increase to assist in offsetting operational costs.
Increase burial lot prices and re-allocate lot sales in order to fiscally grow the cemetery perpetual
care fund (CPC) within the cemetery budget.
MEETING DATE: September 12, 2011
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Action
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt fee increases for full and ash burials in the Sunset Hills
Cemetery, with all fees generated from services and permits to be directed into the General Fund,
and direct 100% of all revenue derived from lot sales to the Perpetual Care Fund (CPC) as
recommended by staff.
BACKGROUND: Cemetery Fees were last increased in fiscal year 2011. The increases were
implemented over two years, and included a 10% increase in fiscal year 2010 and 10 % in fiscal
year 2011. Prior to the increase in 2010, the last adjustment to Cemetery Fees occurred in 2006.
Staff is recommending a 25% increase in burial fees and cemetery services and an increase in
burial lot prices from $647.35 to $1,200 for a full adult and from $423.50 to $900 for an ash lot.
There is 25% increase recommended for Infant lots, Columbarium niches, and Second Urns.
Current cemetery fees and recommended increases (in green) are as follows:
EXISTING RATES PROPOSED RATES
BURIALS
TYPE LOTS CPC TOTAL INCREASE TOTAL PERCENTAGE
Adult $583.22 $64.13 $647.35 $552.65 $1,200.00 85%
Ashes $381.15 $42.35 $423.50 $467.50 $900.00 85%
Infant $65.34 $7.26 $72.60 $18.15 $90.75 25%
Columbarium $517.88 $56.87 $574.75 $143.69 $718.44 25%
Second Urn $163.35 $18.15 $181.50 $45.38 $226.88 25%
OPENING & CLOSING PERMITS
TYPE TOTAL 25% TOTAL
Adult Weekday $484.00 $121.00 $605.00
Weekend/Holiday $695.75 $173.94 $869.69
Ashes Weekday $242.00 $60.50 $302.50
Weekend/Holiday $344.85 $86.21 $431.06
Infant Weekday $96.80 $24.20 $121.00
Weekend/Holiday $139.15 $34.79 $173.94
County/MSU Weekday $242.00 $60.50 $302.50
Weekend/Holiday $344.85 $86.21 $431.06
Columbarium Weekday $121.00 $30.25 $151.25
Weekend/Holiday $181.50 $45.38 $226.88
DISINTERMENT TRIPLE OPENING & CLOSING FEES
TYPE 25% TOTAL
Adult $1,452.0
0
$363.00 $1,815.00
Ashes $726.00 $181.50 $907.50
Infant $290.40 $72.60 $363.00
County/MSU $726.00 $181.50 $907.50
Columbarium $363.00 $90.75 $453.75
EXTRA DEPTH BURIAL
DOUBLE OPENING & CLOSING FEES TOTAL 25% TOTAL
Weekday $968.00 $242.00 $1,210.00
Weekend/Holiday $1,391.5
0
$347.88 $1,739.38
MISCELLANEOUS
TYPE TOTAL 25% TOTAL
Monument Setting Permit $18.15 $4.54 $22.69
Monument Setting Permit Veteran $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Admin fee/Reconveyance to City $30.25 $7.56 $37.81
Wooden Box $307.75 $76.94 $384.69
Lowering Device Rental $36.30 $9.08 $45.38
Disinterment/Reinterment 1 wk $423.50 $105.88 $529.38
County Interment-infants/ashes $60.50 $15.13 $75.63
Payment in lieu of vault $423.50 $105.88 $529.38
The current rates charged by Sunset Hills Cemetery average around the middle of what other
Municipal Cemeteries in our region are charging. The proposed rate structure would place
Sunset Hill’s fees at the higher end of the norm.
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUND: To help generate more revenue into the Cemetery
Perpetual Care fund (CPC), staff is recommending directing 100% of all revenue derived from
lot sales to the CPC. All fees generated from services and permits within the Sunset Hills
Cemetery would be deposited into the General Fund.
Currently, for every burial lot sold, 11% of the fees go into the CPC. This funding structure has
not allowed the CPC to grow at a rate that will adequately fund cemetery maintenance once the
cemetery has reached capacity or is no longer active. There are 15,700 occupied burial lots in
Sunset Hills Cemetery. It is currently costing about $400,000 per year to maintain the cemetery.
As of this writing, the current balance in the CPC is approximately $ 550,000
CEMETERY BOARD: During the May 26, 2011 Cemetery Advisory Board meeting, the
board voted unanimously to recommend the proposed fee increases.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: By directing 100% of plot sales into the CPC, the General Fund
subsidy for the Cemetery will show an increase.
ALTERNATIVES: As directed by the Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS: If the above fee structure were adopted, based on an average year of 150
burials, the CPC would experience an infusion of approximately $150,000 a year.
Attachments: Resolution 4342
Report compiled on: September 1, 2011
1 of 4
COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 4342
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
BOZEMAN, MONTANA, AMENDING THE CEMETERY FEES
CHARGED FOR THE SUNSET HILLS CEMETERY.
WHEREAS, the City Commission did, on the 7th day of April 1986, adopt Ordinance
No. 1200, establishing the Cemetery Board, which is an advisory board to the Bozeman City
Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Cemetery Board was created for the purpose of assisting the
Commission in the operation of the Sunset Hills Cemetery by making investigations and giving
recommendations; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission did, on the 15th day of November 1999 adopt
Commission Resolution No. 3335, establishing the fees recommended by the Cemetery Board
for the sale of niches in the columbarium; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission did, on the 20th day of March 2000, adopt
Commission Resolution No. 3351, establishing the fees recommended by the Cemetery Board;
and
WHEREAS, the City Commission did, on the 28th day of April 2003, adopt
Commission Resolution No. 3590, establishing the fees recommended by the Cemetery Board;
and
WHEREAS, the City Commission did, on the 15th day of May 2006, adopt
Resolution No. 4342, Cemetery Fees for Sunset Hills
2 of 4
Commission Resolution No. 3816, establishing the fees recommended by the Cemetery Board;
and
WHEREAS, at its meeting held on the 18th day of May, 2009, adopt Commission
Resolution No. 4167, establishing the fees recommended by the Cemetery Board, and
WHEREAS, at its meeting held on the 26h day of May 2011, the Cemetery Board did
vote to recommend that specified fees for burial lots, maintenance, opening and closing of lots be
increased,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of
Bozeman, Montana:
Section 1
That the following schedule of fees shall be effective for the sale of cemetery lots and
other cemetery activities, on November 1, 2011 as described:
BURIALS
TYPE LOTS (100% to CPC)
Adult $1,200.00
Ashes $900.00
Infant $90.75
Columbarium $718.44
Second Urn $226.88
OPENING & CLOSING PERMITS
TYPE TOTAL
Adult Weekday $605.00
Weekend/Holiday $869.69
Ashes Weekday $302.50
Weekend/Holiday $431.06
Infant Weekday $121.00
Weekend/Holiday $173.94
County/MSU Weekday $302.50
Weekend/Holiday $431.06
Columbarium Weekday $151.25
Resolution No. 4342, Cemetery Fees for Sunset Hills
3 of 4
Weekend/Holiday $226.88
DISINTERMENT TRIPLE OPENING & CLOSING FEES
TYPE
Adult $1,815.00
Ashes $907.50
Infant $363.00
County/MSU $907.50
Columbarium $453.75
EXTRA DEPTH BURIAL
DOUBLE OPENING & CLOSING FEES TOTAL
Weekday $1,210.00
Weekend/Holiday $1,739.38
MISCELLANEOUS
TYPE TOTAL
Monument Setting Permit $22.69
Monument Setting Permit Veteran $0.00
Admin fee/Reconveyance to City $37.81
Wooden Box $384.69
Lowering Device Rental $45.38
Disinterment/Reinterment 1 wk $529.38
County Interment-infants/ashes $75.63
Payment in lieu of vault $529.38
Section 2
Pursuant to Section 2.76.050 of the Bozeman Municipal Code, the Director of
Finance, or his designee, shall receive and have custody of all cemetery monies.
Resolution No. 4342, Cemetery Fees for Sunset Hills
4 of 4
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman,
Montana, at a regular session thereof held on the 12th day of September 2011.
___________________________________
JEFFREY K. KRAUSS
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
STACY ULMEN, CMC
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
GREG SULLIVAN
City Attorney