By Tere Dunlap
tdunlap@ themonroetimes.com
MONROE - It seems even the local cemetery isn't immune from economic difficulties.
People are living longer and more people are choosing less expensive cremation over traditional casket burials. Both situations are lowering revenues at Monroe's nearly 40-acre cemetery, located on the city's southeast side since the 1890s, according to Nate Klassy, board chairman of the Greenwood Cemetery Association.
Because of the lower revenues, the Greenwood Cemetery Association is asking the City of Monroe for an extra $5,000 contribution, at least for this year. But the city's Finance & Taxation Committee voted Tuesday to wait two months, when it starts preparing the 2011 budget, to discuss a larger contribution.
The city has budgeted $28,000 annually for the cemetery for the past three years.
Klassy said the lot owners actually own cemetery.
"But if for some reason we can't make a go of it (financially), state law says the city must take care of it," Klassy said .
Mayor Bill Ross estimated the annual cost to the city to run the cemetery would be about $125,000 to $150,000, "too costly to take over," he said.
Alderman Paul Hannes, the city's representative on the Greenwood Cemetery Association board, told the Finance and Taxation Committee this week that 2010 has been economically difficult for the cemetery.
"Especially this year, it's been tough with the never-ending job of mowing the lawn," he said.
The association pays two part-time workers $9 per hour to mow the cemetery grass, which takes about a week to complete, according to Hannes.
"By the time they get done, it's time to start over again," he said.
Klassy said mowing the cemetery costs about $70,000 to $80,000 a year.
The association also spent about $2,500 to $3,000 to replace a lawn mower and other equipment this year.
Hannes said the association has increased burial and lot prices by about 3 to 5 percent annually "to stay in line with other cemeteries," but sales have been down "quite a bit compared to other years."
In 2006, the association asked the city to help support the cemetery with an annual contribution or to take over the care and management of the cemetery, according to Ross.
The city contributed $20,500 in 2007, and raised its annual funding to $28,000 in 2008. Hannes was appointed in 2007 to the association board to represent the city because taxpayer dollars are being spent. He has been re-appointed each year since then.
According to Hannes, receipts for the association rose from $120,000 in 2006, before the city started contributing funds, to about $146,000 in 2008.
Expenses also rose, from $116,000 in 2006 to $128,000 in 2008. Hannes did not have account records for 2009.
Revenues come mostly from interest collected from the perpetual care fund, about $20,000 to $22,000; the annual contribution from the city, which began in 2007; and sales from burials and lots. Fifteen percent of sales goes to a perpetual care fund for maintenance of the cemetery.
The association employs a cemetery manager for about $31,000 and pays about $5,000 to $6,000 for accounting services annually.
Michael Boyce, chairman of the city's Finance & Taxation Committee, asked Hannes if a fundraiser would help.
"I don't think that would go over too well," Hannes said.
tdunlap@ themonroetimes.com
MONROE - It seems even the local cemetery isn't immune from economic difficulties.
People are living longer and more people are choosing less expensive cremation over traditional casket burials. Both situations are lowering revenues at Monroe's nearly 40-acre cemetery, located on the city's southeast side since the 1890s, according to Nate Klassy, board chairman of the Greenwood Cemetery Association.
Because of the lower revenues, the Greenwood Cemetery Association is asking the City of Monroe for an extra $5,000 contribution, at least for this year. But the city's Finance & Taxation Committee voted Tuesday to wait two months, when it starts preparing the 2011 budget, to discuss a larger contribution.
The city has budgeted $28,000 annually for the cemetery for the past three years.
Klassy said the lot owners actually own cemetery.
"But if for some reason we can't make a go of it (financially), state law says the city must take care of it," Klassy said .
Mayor Bill Ross estimated the annual cost to the city to run the cemetery would be about $125,000 to $150,000, "too costly to take over," he said.
Alderman Paul Hannes, the city's representative on the Greenwood Cemetery Association board, told the Finance and Taxation Committee this week that 2010 has been economically difficult for the cemetery.
"Especially this year, it's been tough with the never-ending job of mowing the lawn," he said.
The association pays two part-time workers $9 per hour to mow the cemetery grass, which takes about a week to complete, according to Hannes.
"By the time they get done, it's time to start over again," he said.
Klassy said mowing the cemetery costs about $70,000 to $80,000 a year.
The association also spent about $2,500 to $3,000 to replace a lawn mower and other equipment this year.
Hannes said the association has increased burial and lot prices by about 3 to 5 percent annually "to stay in line with other cemeteries," but sales have been down "quite a bit compared to other years."
In 2006, the association asked the city to help support the cemetery with an annual contribution or to take over the care and management of the cemetery, according to Ross.
The city contributed $20,500 in 2007, and raised its annual funding to $28,000 in 2008. Hannes was appointed in 2007 to the association board to represent the city because taxpayer dollars are being spent. He has been re-appointed each year since then.
According to Hannes, receipts for the association rose from $120,000 in 2006, before the city started contributing funds, to about $146,000 in 2008.
Expenses also rose, from $116,000 in 2006 to $128,000 in 2008. Hannes did not have account records for 2009.
Revenues come mostly from interest collected from the perpetual care fund, about $20,000 to $22,000; the annual contribution from the city, which began in 2007; and sales from burials and lots. Fifteen percent of sales goes to a perpetual care fund for maintenance of the cemetery.
The association employs a cemetery manager for about $31,000 and pays about $5,000 to $6,000 for accounting services annually.
Michael Boyce, chairman of the city's Finance & Taxation Committee, asked Hannes if a fundraiser would help.
"I don't think that would go over too well," Hannes said.