The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Aug. 19) tabled action on options to acquire or support four cemeteries in the city that cover around 105 acres. Cemetery managers say they may soon have to turn the problem over to state officials.
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.
Marty Clark, president and CEO of Fort Smith-based BHC Insurance, and volunteer Fort Smith Cemeteries Inc. (FSCI) president, told the Board during a July 15 study session that the organization has found itself in an “untenable financial condition” because the “economics of running a cemetery are pretty terrible.” Clark and FSCI board member Ed Ralston said the nonprofit has worked in recent years to stabilize the funding and try to address the funding shortfalls while also addressing needed maintenance and upkeep.
Sara Deuster, director for the Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Department, provided an estimated budget of $1.249 million to staff, operate and maintain the added cemeteries. The city now maintains Oak Cemetery, and would have to buy new equipment and add staff to maintain and manage the added property. The cemeteries generate about $300,000 in annual revenue, Ralston said.
Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman said city staff recommended the Board work with FSCI to acquire the cemeteries.
“As option three (city ownership) is cleaner, more straightforward, and provides for the sustainable operation of the cemeteries, staff deems city ownership to be the best of the three options present,” noted Dingman’s memo.
Director Jarred Rego moved for board approval of option three, and Director Christina Catsavis seconded the motion. But several board members pushed back against the plan citing the financial impact. After several minutes of discussion, including comments from Ralston, Rego pulled his motion after several directors said they had too many questions to vote for any of the options. However, Rego said the city has an obligation to find solutions.
“If we can’t find a way forward, that will be a failure,” Rego said, adding “there are many many ways to approach the financial question.”
Mayor George McGill said the city should acquire the properties, saying “our citizens will not stand idly by and watch our cemeteries deteriorate.”
Ralston told the board prior to the vote to table that the FSCI board’s next step could be to turn the cemeteries over to the state. He said the days of FSCI board members subsidizing the operations are over. Ralston said state control comes with uncertainties about consistent upkeep, and the FSCI prefers the city step up and ensure the cemeteries are properly maintained.
In an interview after the board vote, Ralston “it’s week-to-week” on how long the nonprofit can continue with payroll and upkeep. The FSCI board could at its September meeting vote to turn the cemeteries over to the state, he said.