It will soon cost more to be buried in Buckley

Published 1:20 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Jessica Keller, The Courier-Herald

Cemetery lots and burial costs at the Buckley City Cemetery are going up June 1.

The City Council voted to increase the cemetery rates at the May 11 meeting in an attempt to help cover operational costs for the city.

Although the council has been considering raising the rates of cemetery costs for the last couple of years, the increase was made after a survey was completed comparing Buckley's rates with those in Orting, Enumclaw, Sumner and Puyallup.

The survey was then given to the Parks and Cemetery Committee for review recently and changes were made. The proposal was eventually taken to the City Council.

All cemetery rates were increased for Buckley, some more than others. Of the increases, the cost for regular adult lots increased $300, from $950 to $1,250 for a Buckley resident, and from $1,100 to $1,400 for a non-resident. Urn garden lots increased from $190 to $450. Of the service charges, adult grave opening and closing increased from $360 to $700. A regular service with vault opening and closing went from $390 to $850. An urn garden open and closing now costs $325, up from $150. Adult concrete liners increased from $310 to $450.

While some of the cost increases are significant, City Administrator Dave Schmidt said most of the fees are less than what Enumclaw charges. He also said the previous rates were not meeting operational costs for the city, with the money being drawn from Buckley's general fund. Although relatively few, the number of burials varies for the cemetery each year, and Schmidt said it has decreased slightly in the past year.

Also at the meeting:

€ The council voted to move forward with a proposal from Dave Meshke of the Buckley's Foothills Historical Society to install railroad tracks and a storage shed for a motorized speeder, which would operate on the track, on land across the street from the museum on River Avenue. Because the city owns the land, which it leases to the museum, the proposal was sent to committee so insurance issues could be addressed. Schmidt said an insurance representative highly recommended to not use anything on the track that would move as it would increase the city's risk of liability issues should anything happen. Councilman Randy Reed noted it is expected an insurance agent would not favor anything that moves because it is the insurance agent's job to be concerned about liability. Other council members agreed and thought the idea of a speeder that moves only for special occasions, but would be locked for the remainder of the time, is a good idea.

"What's the use of having a track if you can't use the thing?" Councilwoman Jan Twardoski said.

Mayor John Blanusa also concurred with the idea.

"I want to hear it go clickety-clack," he said.

Jessica Keller can be reached at jkeller@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald