Cost of burials at Oakwood Cemetery increased in 2015, but so did the number of people buried in the Warsaw graveyard, resulting in a higher balance at the end of the year over 2014. The total 2015 balance was $195,418.81. The 2014 total was $133,317.25. “That is created, one, that we went up in our prices” by $100 per burial, Cemetery sexton Hal Heagy told the Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents at its meeting Thursday. “But ... if you look back at 2015, we did 258 funerals. That’s the most since I’ve been here.” In 2014, there were 229 funerals; 231 in 2013; 241 in 2012; 225 in 2011; and 218 funerals in 2010. The lowest number of burials at Oakwood since 2005 was 183 in 2008. “So the funerals are up, but we also had raised prices,” he said. A burial for a resident under the new prices is $400 and non-residents are $425. Heagy said the new revenue helps the cemetery fund “quite a bit.” “My budget is up this year,” Heagy said. “You guys know that it’s mainly two pieces of equipment – it’s a dump truck and it’s a pickup truck (that I’ll be getting). They’re both 1998 that I’m replacing.” Heagy said Mayor Joe Thallemer understands that he “doesn’t go for it unless I need it.” New board member Dave Baumgartner asked if the burial numbers fluctuate “quite a bit” from year to year. Heagy said they do. Other revenue is generated through burial of ashes, mausoleum or crypt burial and other services. Heagy also reported on the new signs that will come up in the cemetery. “Our section signs out there actually do suck,” he said, showing the board the new signs that will go up this year. Heagy said Street Superintendent Jeff Beeler approached him about the street department helping the cemetery replace the section signs. “They have a sign-making machine. He has a guy on staff that knows how to do it. So the city makes all their big signs, street signs, everything, so he’s doing this,” Heagy said. The aluminum being used for the new signs was going to be scrapped by the street department because the state changed regulations on street sign size, Heagy said. Beeler and Heagy decided to use that aluminum instead for the cemetery section signs. For the past several days, Heagy said he’s got a man cutting the signs out. The signs will face a different direction so they can be reader easier and posts will be painted brown. “What I like about them is that they’ve got that reflector,” Lewis Dobbins, board member, said. “It’s just so much bigger. The numbers are bigger,” Heagy said. In other business, the Board of Regents: • Elected Baumgartner as president for a one-year term. Thallemer also gave Baumgartner and Dobbins the oath of office. • Heard leaf pick up is “totally done.” Heagy said about 95 loads were picked up and taken to the street department. • Heard vehicles and small equipment are being winterized. • Heard Christmas lights in downtown Warsaw are still hung up but are turned off, and will be turned back on for the February First Friday event, “Fire & Ice.” After that, a crew will take them down and inspect them. • Heard that after the recent ice storm, the cemetery lost a big pine tree in the front. It has been taken care of, and the wood will be given away through the Combined Community Services split wood giveaway program. Heagy said so far this year, the cemetery has only given away three loads.
