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AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH POLICIES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF CEMETERY REVENUES
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WHEREAS, the City of Jonesboro maintains Oaklawn Cemetery located at 2349 West Matthews Drive, City Cemetery located at 504 E. Matthews, Nettleton Cemetery located at 311 Airport Road, and Knights of Pythias Cemetery located at 1301 Strawfloor Ave, said facilities hereinafter referred to as cemeteries; and,
WHEREAS, a fund has been established for payment of ongoing expenses incurred in the operation and maintenance of these cemeteries, however, specific instructions as to how the funds are to be receipted and expended have not been established by previous ordinances; and,
WHEREAS, the State Cemetery Board has determined current Jonesboro cemetery policies and procedures do not limit Jonesboro to the perpetual care cemetery regulations established by the Arkansas Cemetery Board; and,
WHEREAS, guidelines are needed for the collection, accounting and expenditure of funds to ensure the cemeteries are well maintained;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JONESBORO, ARKANSAS THAT:
SECTION 1: The Perpetual Care Fund name shall be changed and shall now be known as the Cemetery Fund.
SECTION 2: Fifty percent (50%) of cemetery lot sales and fifty percent (50%) of all fees charged by City for grave openings and closings in cemeteries shall be deposited in the General Fund to cover operation and maintenance of the cemeteries. The remainder of the revenues from lot sales and grave openings and closings shall be deposited into the Cemetery Fund.
SECTION 3: Interest from the Cemetery Fund shall be transferred to the General Fund and used for expenses associated with the operation and maintenance of the cemeteries.
SECTION 4: The principal of the Cemetery Fund shall be used for expenses associated with the planning and construction of city owned cemeteries, cemetery infrastructure and cemetery support facilities, including (but not limited to): acquisition of existing unused grave spaces in cemeteries, other lands needed for future expansion of existing cemeteries, and lands determined as needed for future cemetery sites .
SECTION 5: The Mayor shall be authorized to purchase, on behalf of City, unused grave spaces in cemeteries for the purpose of resale. The purchase price of the grave spaces shall be $100 for a single grave space and $200 per space, for multiple (more than one) contiguous grave spaces. Funds to purchase the spaces shall come from the Cemetery Fund.
SECTION 6: The City of Jonesboro shall establish a separate cemetery budget in order to track revenues and expenses related to the cemetery division of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Department, and all adjustments to the 2010 Budget as passed by Council on December 15, 2009 as necessary shall be executed.
SECTION 7: All ordinances and parts of ordinances previously adopted that are in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict.
SECTION 8: It being necessary that the finances of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas be efficiently administered and accounted for, and whereas this ordinance is necessary for the proper execution of contractual obligations, an emergency is declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4th day of May, 2010.