{"id":87340,"date":"2025-06-16T08:37:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=87340"},"modified":"2025-06-16T08:37:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:37:04","slug":"city-commission-approves-fee-increases-for-city-cemeteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=87340","title":{"rendered":"City Commission approves fee increases for City cemeteries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hays City Commission approved an amendment to the cemetery ordinance during Thursday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director of Parks Jeff Boyle explained that the City owns the Fort Hays Memorial Gardens as well as the Mount Allen Cemetery. One of the main components of the amendment was increasing the cemetery fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have not implemented any fee increases in over 20 years,\u201d Boyle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the City has not implemented increases, the current rates are well below the average for cities of similar size. The recommended changes would bring those fees closer to the average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have a problem with sort of getting it to the middle, or slightly cheaper end of middle, but we\u2019re talking about doubling the space fee for a full space, but we\u2019re quintupling the space fee for an infant,\u201d Commissioner Reece Barrick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boyle pointed out that Hays is currently \u201cthe bottom of the barrel\u201d in terms of pricing for infant spaces and that infant spaces are about half the size of the full burial space and require a significant amount of work. He also noted that other cities are in similar positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll the ones above us (on the price chart) appear to have been stagnant just like we have for 15,20,30 years,\u201d Boyle said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boyle said the recommended disinterment fees are significantly increased. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll cost us far more than where we\u2019re at right now to actually perform the disinterment,\u201d Boyle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommended fees are about the break-even point for the City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a lot of disinterments, but it is something that when it does happens, we\u2019d like to have that in place,\u201d Boyle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grave Opening Fees, Columbarium Grave Opening Fees, and Monument Setting Fees were all increased as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too bad when that happens because it kind of slaps you in the face,\u201d Mayor Sandy Jacobs said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boyle agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know I shared my disappointment last week and I share that with all departments. I think we need to be looking at every area like this so that we don\u2019t have to have big increases,\u201d Jacobs said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving forward, Boyle said the cemetery price sheets will be reviewed every other year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt least that way we\u2019re keeping up with where we\u2019re at,\u201d Boyle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also emphasized that they will not make money on the cemetery, even with the increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still going to have a deficit,\u201d Boyle said. \u201cAt least we\u2019re trying to make up for some of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amendment also changed several other sections of the ordinance to provide clarification and consistency. It removed outdated language relating to grazing horses and livestock within the cemetery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amendment requires all cemetery certificates to be signed by the Mayor, as required by the State of Kansas. Additionally, the City will now require a 16-hour notice for interments and 10 days for disinterments. Internments will not occur on Sundays or City-recognized holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific headstone requirements will be listed for the Memorial Gardens Cemetery and the interment permit will now include a description of the interment type (full burial vs.cremation) and the size of the urn being used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a columbarium that cremations can go in, they have a limitation on size,\u201d Boyle said. \u201cWe need to know that going in so we can catch the process early on if needed to let the folks know that the size allowed is only this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The urn sizing also allows Parks staff to dig the cremation burial to the proper size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After re-emphasizing the importance of periodically evaluating these fees, the Commission voted on the amendment. It passed 4-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other items from the meeting included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n