Fort Smith Director Christina Catsavis believes the city has an “obligation” to assume control of and maintain certain cemeteries in the city, but other directors aren’t convinced the city can afford the obligation or the precedent it might set.
Marty Clark, president and CEO of Fort Smith-based BHC Insurance, and volunteer Fort Smith Cemeteries Inc. (FSCI) president, spoke again to the board during a Tuesday (Sept. 23) study session about the need for some entity to support cemeteries that have more than 50,000 graves combined.
The Fort Smith board first heard publicly about the cemetery issue during a July 15 study session. The board on Aug. 19 would table action[1] on the cemeteries with several directors pushing back on the annual cost if the city were to assume ownership of the properties.
The cemeteries are on the northside of Fort Smith. Roselawn/Holy Cross is off of North O Street and just west of Interstate 540. Forest Park is located off of Midland Boulevard (U.S. 64) and North 50th Street. Washington Cemetery is off of North 54th Street between Johnson Street and Virginia Avenue. Forest Park has at least 26,000 graves, Roselawn has 23,345 graves, Holy Cross has 3,623 graves, and Washington has at least 2,000 graves.
Bobbie Woodard-Andrews said the Washington Cemetery, the only active African American cemetery in the city, is landlocked and has space for maybe 7 more years of funerals. Holy Cross and Roselawn have significant room for expansion. Graves at the three cemeteries date back to the mid-1800s. Holy Cross is around 50 acres, Forest Park has around 35 acres, and Rose Lawn and Washington cemeteries have around 10 acres.
Woodward-Andrews said she is not asking the city to take over Washington, but would appreciate any help with mowing.
Clark said Tuesday that a revised plan created by FSCI would allow the city to manage the cemeteries “affordably and responsibly.”
The alternative budget proposed by FSCI makes significant changes that reduce an estimated budget from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. For example, the city proposed a budget with 17.5 new employees with an annual cost of $655,763. The budget proposed by FSCI calls for 5.5 employees with an annual cost of $340,631.
Also, the city proposal called for the purchase of new equipment at a cost of $941,550. The FSCI budget calls for new equipment of just $159,350. The FSCI plan calls for certain maintenance, primarily mowing, to be outsourced, thus reducing the need for equipment purchases and personnel.
“Instead of buying a fleet of heavy equipment, we will rely on contractors who bring their own,” Clark noted. “This approach cuts annual personnel costs nearly in half and reduces capital expenses by more than 80 percent.”
The city budget projects an annual deficit of $499,153, with the FSCI budget estimating the annual deficit at $184,021. Clark told the board that $100,000 a year in fundraising would be attainable if citizens knew a plan was in place to take care of the properties.
“This is a lean, responsible budget,” Clark noted in a statement. “It ensures the cemeteries remain maintained with dignity and stability. It also gives the City a model that is both affordable today and sustainable for the future. We respectfully ask you to consider moving forward with the resolution to assume ownership of Fort Smith Cemeteries. This revised plan shows it can be done, and done right, for the people of Fort Smith.”
Director Christina Catsavis said the city has a duty to take care of the cemeteries and she is willing to go through the city budget “line by line” to find funding without increasing the budget.
“We have a moral and civic obligation” to take care “of our historical archives,” she said, and added later in the discussion, “What does this say to the rest of the state that we can’t take care of our own. … To me it is just shameful.”
But Director Neal Martin said he is worried about setting a precedent “that now we are in the cemetery business,” saying it would encourage other cemetery owners to seek support from the city. Director Lee Kemp said he is concerned that the annual cost to maintain the cemeteries will rise and be a budget problem in future years.
The board is expected to review the issue at a future study session.
Related
References
- ^ table action (talkbusiness.net)