Glenwood Cemetery Lot Fees Could Be Going Up

The fee for purchasing a lot at the Glenwood Cemetery could be going up.

At the recommendation of the Glenwood Cemetery Board, the Glenwood City Council is considering a proposal that would raise the cost of a lot at the Glenwood Cemetery from $600 to $650.

In a meeting with city council members last week, Glenwood Cemetery sexton Mike Collins said the $650 lot fee would keep Glenwood’s pricing lower than Council Bluffs’, but higher than some other southwest communities outside the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area.

If the $650 rate is approved, about $100 of the fee would be set aside for perpetual care at the cemetery.

Collins also expressed his desire for the cemetery to purchase its own excavator to open and close graves. Collins said the public works department equipment currently being used is larger than what’s needed and difficult to maneuver in tight situations. Collins said with a government discount, a new excavator could be purchased for around $44,000.

Glenwood Mayor Brian Tackett requested Collins present written bids for new and used excavators for the council to consider.

Collins said he believes he could help offset the cost of purchasing the excavator by scaling back the cemetery budget by up to $2,000 a year. Under the current arrangement, a portion of the burial fee goes to the public works department for the time and equipment needed to open and close graves.
In addition to opening and closing graves, the excavator would also be used to lift and move stones.