Cemetery fees likely to rise

Cemetery plots and burial fees at Rolla Cemetery will be increasing April 1, according to a plan presented during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Parks Department Head Ken Kwantes presented two proposals to council members, one for burial price fees and the other for grave lot purchases.
“Increasing expenses in manpower, equipment and land costs make these increases necessary,” said Kwantes, who as Parks Department head oversees the cemetery. The fees also include administrative and record-keeping expenses.
During a First Reading on Tuesday, Kwantes recommended increases to weekday, weekend and holiday burials and cremation burials.
Weekday burials would increase $55 to $450; weekend burials would increase $100 to $775 and holiday burials would increase from $795 to $915.
Cremation weekday burials would increase $25 to $175; cremation weekend burials would increase $60 to $285 and cremation holiday burials under the proposal would increase $75 from $325 to $400. The proposal makes provisions for smaller graves. It the deceased is younger than 6, the fees for a weekday burial would be $180; weekend burial would be $360 and for a holiday burial the fee would be $540.
Similar provisions would apply if the deceased is to be placed in a crypt, mausoleum or cremorium the proposed fee would be $125 for a weekday placement; $225 for weekends and $325 for a holiday placement.
Citing rising expenses, Kwantes also proposed increasing the single-plot gravesite sale prices of $300 to $1,000. The four-grave plot price would increase from $2,100 to $3,500; the eight-grave plot price would increase from $4,000 to $6,600 and the cremation lot would increase from $350 to $650.
The increases, Kwantes confirmed, is the expenses of perpetual care.
“The $300 increase we’re seeing in the single-lot price can be attributed to perpetual-care costs,” City Administrator John Butz said, getting a confirmation from Kwantes.
In other action, the City Council ...:
• Heard the First Reading on the request to adopt the Rolla West Master Plan as an amendment to the Rolla 2020 Comprehensive Plan update. The council members heard from Columbia Avenue resident Wayne Gibson who requested during the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting that the area in the Master Plan across from his home be earmarked as greenspace. Last week, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved that amendment, and Gibson attended the meeting to see that City Council members heard his concerns. Rolla West is a plan for a fifth, western-most interchange in Rolla, and the Master Plan includes improvements for U.S. Route 63, a Route 63 bypass, improvements to Ridgeview Avenue and its extension and for improvements in infrastructure in the 1.65-square-mile area that includes the interchange, the Missouri S&T Tech Park and the E-Squared development.
• Heard James Corey, who works for Ward 1 City Councilman Terry Ruck, ask the council whether impeachment proceedings could be brought against Ward 6 Councilwoman Donna Hawley for seeking the same against Ruck. “This was a personal issue. Talk about abuse of power,” Corey said referring to Hawley. “I’d like to know whether a citizen can file (for impeachment),” Corey said.  Butz told Corey a citizen could not impeach, but if the council wants to recall that was another matter.
• Heard from Robert Weitzsacker of 12601County Road 2170 about his concerns of eminent domain. Weitzsacker said he wanted to know the intent of Rolla Municipal Utilities, which is in the process of building a substation near the Weitzsacker home. Mayor William S. Jenks, III, said no decision has been made on the purchase of his property. “I will not sell part of it,” Weitzsacker said.
• Heard a semi-annual report on Channel 6 from Fidelity Communications Director of Sales John Paul that the first six months “have been very successful, but very stressful.” “We’ve purchased enough equipment to put Channel 6 on the air” and plans are to purchase more later. Paul reported the Channel had $69,880.86 in revenue and contributions and $65,893.35 in operating expenses for a margin of $3,987.51.
• Heard a quarterly report from Rolla Regional Economic Commission Executive Director Elizabeth Bax who stressed the importance of approving the Rolla West Master Plan, finding a tenant for the Briggs & Stratton building, developing a viable plan for implementing an Enhanced Enterprise Zone for Rolla and an endorsement of a hybrid U.S. Route 63 bypass from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission and the Transportation Advisory Committee.
• Suspended the rules and did a First and Final Reading on the name change of the city’s Solid Waste Department to Environmental Services Department, which is more indicative of the recycling efforts.
• Approved the purchases of a 2009 Kubota F3680 72-inch front mower diesel tractor and a 2009 ZD326-60 60-inch mower for the Parks and Recreation Department from Wayde’s Equipment for $16,581 and $12,780, respectively.
• Acknowledged the Ad-Hoc Committee to review the Parks and Recreation sales tax, which expires in 2013, and to evaluate the need for a Senior Center that cold be funded and determine the senior programming needs of the community. Committee members include Bill Winch, Jim Fiscus, Ruth Hengartner, Donna Lewis, Marsha Ray, Ed Froelich, Dan Babcock, Bill Morgan, Mary Harlan, Shelley Woltkamp, Carolyn Tilford, Susan Birdsong, Ken Kwantes and Kristy Bullock.