JULY 8, 2025 |
Photo – Decorated headstone in Rawlins cemetery – Bigfoot99 file photo
Despite increased efforts by maintenance crews, the Rawlins City Council remains dissatisfied with the condition of the city cemetery.
Last month, citing overgrown weeds and areas with no grass, the Rawlins City Council demanded that the cemetery be better maintained. City Manager Tom Sarvey explained the current city policy directs workers to focus their efforts on other green spaces, such as Washington Park. Once those areas are completed, workers spend the remainder of their day at the cemetery.
The governing body expressed their dissatisfaction with the policy and ordered Sarvey to ensure that the entire cemetery was completely mowed before their next meeting, on July 1st. The City Manager said he would direct the parks crew to work more efficiently so they can dedicate additional time to the cemetery.
The matter was discussed again during the July 1st Rawlins City Council meeting. Sarvey reported that he had met the governing body’s demand.
Although the mowing was completed, Sarvey acknowledged that trimming around the gravestones remained unfinished.
The City Manager said he assigned one employee to spend four hours per day at the cemetery. However, due to the size of the grounds, by the time the mowing is completed, the grass has already begun to grow back.
The Rawlins City Council will hold a special work session before the July 15th regular meeting to address concerns about the cemetery. During the work session, Sarvey said he will discuss his plan to improve maintenance and revitalize the city’s graveyard.
With only four full-time parks crew members, Sarvey said keeping the cemetery looking nice is challenging.
Councilman Steve Sanger said he personally mowed the section of the cemetery dedicated to veterans. Councilman Sanger added that cutting around the cemetery’s thousands of headstones is very time-consuming.
Councilman Sanger said the Rawlins Cemetery covers 25 acres, or over one million square feet, and contains thousands of headstones. Maintaining a graveyard of that size typically costs roughly $20,000 every month. The Councilman said the four-member parks crew is performing the same amount of work at a fraction of the cost.
Public Works Director Cody Dill added that the parks crew is also responsible for maintaining all the green spaces in the city, not just the cemetery. Dill asked for volunteers to help mow the graveyard.
After complimenting Dill for his efforts to beautify the cemetery, Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked him to provide an estimated cost to purchase equipment and hire workers to consistently mow the graveyard. Councilwoman Lewman asked Dill to have those numbers ready by the July 15th City Council meeting.
Councilwoman Lewman asked volunteers to contact Public Works Director Dill for instructions on how to avoid damaging the cemetery’s expensive headstones before mowing. Public Works Director Dill reported that the majority of volunteers focus solely on the sections of the cemetery where their family members are buried.
Rawlins officials will hold a special work session before the July 15th City Council meeting to discuss the condition of the cemetery and ongoing maintenance efforts. In the meantime, Public Works Director Cody Dill will prepare a cost estimate detailing both financial and staffing requirements needed to properly maintain the graveyard.
