Cemetery Budget Up 7 Percent Over 2016
August 5, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The cemetery’s 2017 proposed permanent fund also is being proposed at an increase over 2016 at 2.5 percent.
The Cemetery Board of Regents unanimously approved the estimated budget and fund at its monthly meeting Thursday. The Warsaw Common Council also will have to review and approve them.
For 2017, sexton Hal Heagy presented a proposed budget totaling $670,055, while 2016’s was $627,888. The permanent fund for 2017 was approved by the Board of Regents at $106,500, up $8,500 over 2016.
Medical insurance for Oakwood’s employees was estimated for 2017 at $138,480, an increase of more than $35,000 over 2016’s $102,991 figure.
Heagy said, “One thing you can’t do in your budget is go up, you can always go down. But once you start these budget processes, you can’t go up.”
He said the city won’t get its medical insurance rates for next year until later on. Board member Ellen Hoffer said the city wouldn’t get them until October.
“Every year we cut a ton out. Every year. It gets cut off,”?Heagy continued. “But you’d rather figure high. And then what we do is give it back. It doesn’t cost the taxpayers any money in a line one cut. You’ll see those coming.”
Heagy said he couldn’t tell the board how much of the 2017 proposed medical insurance budget would be cut, but for 2016 “it was quite a bit.” He said the 2016 medical budget went up very little compared to 2015, and City Councilman Jerry Frush estimated 5 to 6 percent. Heagy said he thought it was less than that, at 3 or 4 percent.
“That number will probably change. I’m pretty sure,”?Heagy said.
Employee salaries and wages were figured at a 2 percent increase for 2017 over 2016. The total proposed for cemetery employees’ salaries for 2017 is $293,734, compared to 2016’s $290,131.
“We were told to figure 2 percent. Doesn’t mean we’re getting it. The wage committee is still going through these and hashing all that out. They told us in our budgets to put that in there,” Heagy said.
One area where the cemetery budget is done for 2016 compared to 2017 is under machinery and equipment. While the 2016 budget was $73,200, the 2017 budget is proposed at $67,400, an 8 percent decrease. Heagy said, “I backed off some of that.”
New equipment he is looking at getting in 2017 includes a new mower, a track hoe replacement, a skid loader replacement and equipment for the skid loader.
Utility services for 2017 will be increased 15 percent over 2016. The 2017 proposed budget was presented at $15,425, while 2016’s was $13,425.
For professional services, Heagy presented a 2017 figure of $4,780, a 90 percent increase over 2016’s $2,200. He said every year he puts money aside to pay a guy hired through a temp service. In the past, he paid the temporary employee through payroll, but he’s been directed to now pay him out of professional services.
“It’s just me moving money. It’s not really going up 90 percent,” Heagy told the board.
The permanent fund for 2017 includes $5,000 for trees; $50,000 for cemetery road repair; $50,000 for a columbarium; and $1,500 for professional services.
Heagy said he believes the $50,000 for the columbarium is high, but wasn’t sure.
Money for the permanent fund comes from lot sales. It is a non-tax fund. Half of each lot sold goes into the fund. It is invested, but the cemetery sexton can use the money from the fund for roads, trees, etc.
“We try to keep as much of that invested as we can to draw interest over a long period of time and only keep so much out,” Heagy said.
The fund was created years ago to preserve the cemetery.
The cemetery’s 2017 proposed permanent fund also is being proposed at an increase over 2016 at 2.5 percent.
The Cemetery Board of Regents unanimously approved the estimated budget and fund at its monthly meeting Thursday. The Warsaw Common Council also will have to review and approve them.
For 2017, sexton Hal Heagy presented a proposed budget totaling $670,055, while 2016’s was $627,888. The permanent fund for 2017 was approved by the Board of Regents at $106,500, up $8,500 over 2016.
Medical insurance for Oakwood’s employees was estimated for 2017 at $138,480, an increase of more than $35,000 over 2016’s $102,991 figure.
Heagy said, “One thing you can’t do in your budget is go up, you can always go down. But once you start these budget processes, you can’t go up.”
He said the city won’t get its medical insurance rates for next year until later on. Board member Ellen Hoffer said the city wouldn’t get them until October.
“Every year we cut a ton out. Every year. It gets cut off,”?Heagy continued. “But you’d rather figure high. And then what we do is give it back. It doesn’t cost the taxpayers any money in a line one cut. You’ll see those coming.”
Heagy said he couldn’t tell the board how much of the 2017 proposed medical insurance budget would be cut, but for 2016 “it was quite a bit.” He said the 2016 medical budget went up very little compared to 2015, and City Councilman Jerry Frush estimated 5 to 6 percent. Heagy said he thought it was less than that, at 3 or 4 percent.
“That number will probably change. I’m pretty sure,”?Heagy said.
Employee salaries and wages were figured at a 2 percent increase for 2017 over 2016. The total proposed for cemetery employees’ salaries for 2017 is $293,734, compared to 2016’s $290,131.
“We were told to figure 2 percent. Doesn’t mean we’re getting it. The wage committee is still going through these and hashing all that out. They told us in our budgets to put that in there,” Heagy said.
One area where the cemetery budget is done for 2016 compared to 2017 is under machinery and equipment. While the 2016 budget was $73,200, the 2017 budget is proposed at $67,400, an 8 percent decrease. Heagy said, “I backed off some of that.”
New equipment he is looking at getting in 2017 includes a new mower, a track hoe replacement, a skid loader replacement and equipment for the skid loader.
Utility services for 2017 will be increased 15 percent over 2016. The 2017 proposed budget was presented at $15,425, while 2016’s was $13,425.
For professional services, Heagy presented a 2017 figure of $4,780, a 90 percent increase over 2016’s $2,200. He said every year he puts money aside to pay a guy hired through a temp service. In the past, he paid the temporary employee through payroll, but he’s been directed to now pay him out of professional services.
“It’s just me moving money. It’s not really going up 90 percent,” Heagy told the board.
The permanent fund for 2017 includes $5,000 for trees; $50,000 for cemetery road repair; $50,000 for a columbarium; and $1,500 for professional services.
Heagy said he believes the $50,000 for the columbarium is high, but wasn’t sure.
Money for the permanent fund comes from lot sales. It is a non-tax fund. Half of each lot sold goes into the fund. It is invested, but the cemetery sexton can use the money from the fund for roads, trees, etc.
“We try to keep as much of that invested as we can to draw interest over a long period of time and only keep so much out,” Heagy said.
The fund was created years ago to preserve the cemetery.
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