June 15, 2023 |
Photo – Mayor Irene signs off on Elk Mountain Cemetery Plan- Courtesy Brett Larson
The Elk Mountain town council approved a cemetery mapping project as an expansion of the burial grounds appears on the horizon.
The Elk Mountain Cemetery Board has been working with David Hammond, of Hammond Land Survey, to map the municipality’s graveyard. Cemetery board chairman Brett Larson said the town was selling burial plots using several different maps. After more than 60 years, the maps no longer matched.
Hammond was hired to physically locate all the existing grave sites in the cemetery and to compile an accurate chart of who is buried in each plot. Hammond also will survey an unused portion of the cemetery and map the placement of additional grave plots for the future.
Larson and the other cemetery board members met with Hammond earlier this month to finalize the scope of the project. Larson said Hammond will create a digital document the town can use to keep track of sold graves. Knowing exactly what was expected of him, Hammond was able to provide Larson with a bill for his services.
Larson said he brought the proposal before the Elk Mountain town council where it was unanimously approved. Larson said the cemetery board had enough money budgeted for the project, with a little over $12,000 set aside.
Larson said Hammond has a lot of work to do. On top of creating a detailed map of the existing graves, Larson said Hammond will design additional space for both cremains and traditional burials.
The added burial plots will be on the unused eastern portion of the cemetery. Larson said public works crews will begin mowing the area this week. Hammond is expected to begin work soon after. Larson said the entire project is expected to take roughly two months to complete. The cemetery board chairman said his priority is constructing an access road into the new section of the graveyard. When the entire project is finished, Larson said the cemetery will be in good shape.
Larson said the remaining cemetery board budget will likely be spent on construction of the access road.
With the cemetery remapping project receiving approval, Larson said the cemetery board can begin tackling other issues. Larson said the town’s graves only cost $75 a piece. He said he is considering increasing the price of a burial plot.
Larson acknowledged that price hikes are unpopular. He said the fee is used to maintain the cemetery. Larson said he was considering at least doubling the cost of a grave site.
Graves will only be sold through the town hall using Hammond’s updated map. Larson said the cemetery will be properly administered from now on.
Larson thanked his fellow cemetery board members and the Elk Mountain town council for their hard work and persistence.
