SR 06:203 - Laserfiche WebLink

CURRENT SITUATION Revenues & Expenses The cemetery is a modest operation. The cemetery's financial statements from 2003, 2004 and 2005 show total expenses have run between $20,000 and $26,000 per year. In 2003 and 2004, revenues averaged about $24,000 per year. In 2005, revenues from plot sales substantially increased to over $61,000 and it is likely to be even higher for 2006 based on the number of contracts executed. In 2005 there were 42 contracts; as of August 2006 there are already 62. Any excess revenue each year has been deposited into a "Cemetery Material Care Fund" that as of August 2006 had a balance of about $45,700. This fund appears to be relatively new and as such, it has not been available for required improvements. Physical Condition of Cemetery In general, the Cemetery is in poor condition and generally reflective of an underfunded operation. To evaluate its condition, staff conducted an assessment of various elements of the site including landscaping, safety hazards, pavement, sidewalk/walkways, fencing and streetscape, and structure removal. Brief summaries are provided below and photos of the Cemetery are included as Exhibit 2. . Turf and Ground Cover. Site turf is in poor condition and in its current state it is not cost effective to maintain. The site does not contain a cost efficient water irrigation system and the current system is manually operated with sprinkler heads that are not of commercial quality, and are positioned on the site in a haphazard fashion. The result is a system that is labor intensive to operate and maintain, wastes a significant amount of water and does not permit a uniform application of water. In addition, the location and size of most grave markers create small irregularly shaped turf areas, which are cost inefficient to mow and trim. The site also contains a large amount of debris and trash that should be removed. Many plot areas have been "improved" with the addition of decorative elements such as small fences, gravel/rocks, planted flowers, edging, small trees, benches, etc. The presence of these items require additional maintenance time to remove and replace in order to mow turf, remove leaves and debris, and perform other maintenance as needed. . Tree Pruning. The site contains several large Eucalyptus trees that require pruning at a cost of$4,000-$6,000 each. In addition, all trees on the site need a safety inspection and most likely, prunmg. . Paving and Sidewalk Repairs. The roadways have deteriorated and need to be repaved. (See Exhibit 3 for illustrative photos.) Also, some existing graves have unreinforced concrete slabs over the top of them that have cracked and are collapsing into the graves themselves. In these areas, the use of heavy equipment for paving may cause additional damage to adjacent curbing and concrete. . Fencing and Streetscape. The historical decorative fencing and arch are weathered and overgrown with vegetation. SR 06:203 Page 4