Association asks village for help with cemetery

 

The Cadott Cemetery Association, Inc., has turned to the Village of Cadott with requests of help, after the association has been unable to find more members.

The association runs the day-to-day operations of Brooklawn Cemetery, located on County Hwy. X. Association members met with the Building and Lands Committee, June 17, to discuss the possibility of the village taking over the responsibilities.

“We have a very big shortage of member volunteers to keep the organization running,” said Larry Seidling, Cadott Cemetery Association member.

Seidling says they need a board of six people to keep the association legally operating. The group lost their sexton, the person who marks and sells the graves, a few days prior. Seidling says he is leaving town, which he planned well in advance, while other members are retiring at the end of the year, or are unable to be active in the organization, because of health.

“We ask and the answer is no,” said Seidling of their efforts to recruit new members. “People who can’t run, are running away from us when we ask.”

He says the most common reason people turn down the requests for help, is because they are too busy, though he said it is not a large time commitment.

Seidling says the organization has money and does not have many expenses. He says they have operated where the sexton is paid $500 per year, to mark the lots and that he has gotten paid $500 per year, to do the paperwork. The other expense the organization has, is lawn care for the cemetery, which they hire out for $425 per time.

Terry Licht, committee chair, asked if the lots in the cemetery are already laid out. Seidling said portions of the lots are already laid out. All the land owned by the cemetery is already paid for.

Russ Falkenberg, committee member, asked that they explain how the finances work for the cemetery.

“There’s not a residual, obviously, income from your customers,” said Falkenberg.

Seidling says 15 percent of the lots sales each year, go into a perpetual care fund. He says the only thing that fund can be used for, is to take the interest and pay expenses, but added they are in a position where they are not doing that.

“It’s not because the cemetery is broke,” said Seidling.

Seidling also talked about state laws that say cemeteries default to the local municipality’s care, if they are no longer being cared for.

“It would come back to the village to take care of it, whether you want it or not,” said Seidling, adding it would be easier for all involved to turn over the cemetery care with an agreement.

“Did you ever advertise for people?” asked clerk Sandy Buetow.

Buetow noted that many people are into genealogy and may be willing to help. Seidling says they have advertised, but have not had any luck.

“Part of it is, it’s got to be somebody who is here,” said Seidling, adding that many of the plots are sold in advance, but unexpected deaths do happen.

Rolly Tichy, public works, also asked if the group had approached any area churches with the possibility of taking over the cemetery duties. Seidling says, since the cemetery is non-denominational, he can’t foresee a church taking on the responsibility. He also noted some of the churches also already run cemeteries of their own.

Tichy also asked if the hours the group meets with family members to sell plots is often during the evening. Seidling says that is not the portion he does, but his understanding is the meetings with family are often in the day.

“If they need the service, they’re kind of bound to what hours are available,” said Seidling. “So, I don’t see that being an issue.”

Committee member Eric Weiland expressed concerns that the public works department is already overly busy as it is.

Tichy also said he is concerned whether it is fair to taxpayers to have a paid employee at the cemetery during working hours, taking time away from working on regular village needs. Seidling says the cost of the plots can be adjusted to reflect that, adding Brooklawn’s prices are lower than other places.

“I know it’s overwhelming when you say it, because you’ve never seen it, but it’s not that tough,” said Seidling.

“That’s the thing,” said Tichy. “We’re walking into it blind.”

The Building and Lands Committee agreed to meet again with the Cadott Cemetery Association in a closed session to discuss finances, before the committee makes a recommendation to the full board.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="197"] Larry Seidling, Cadott Cemetery Association member, approached the Building and Lands Committee, June 17, to ask the Village of Cadott if they would consider taking over the responsibilities of Brooklawn Cemetery. Seidling says the association is unable to find enough members to keep the organization operating. Photo by Julia Wolf[/caption]