The Township of Wellington North is contracting out burial services in order to expand the services at the Mount Forest Cemetery.
“I think we should look at this as somewhat of a trial project,” Mayor Andy Lennox said during discussion of the proposal at Monday night’s council meeting.
In response to a request from council late last year, township staff presented two potential options for extending burial service at the cemetery.
The first – and the one ultimately selected by council – would see an outside provider responsible for all interments from Monday to Friday, with cost borne by the families requiring the service.
Option two would have involved creating an additional public works position, which would be responsible for marking out plots, digging graves and backfilling, among other parks and public works-related jobs.
Council was also offered a third status-quo option of maintaining the current burial hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
The first option was the one recommended by staff, with CAO Brooke Lambert explaining it is the option allows the township to “provide the increased level of service without having to increase the staff complement.”
According to a staff report included in the council agenda package, the outside contractor – Owen Sound Vault – would supply all equipment and staff, families would pay for the service, and hours would be determined by direction from council.
“Municipal staff would continue to do all other operations in the cemetery including monument maintenance, grass cutting, weed trimming, tree canopy maintenance, etc.” it said.
Lambert told councillors the second option involving creating a full-time staff person to do the burials would cost approximately $90,000 at the rate of a roads operator position.
As to the costs associated with contracting services out, the report noted some of the contracted services are billed at a rate less than the current fees and charges, while others are more.
“Any charges over and above what we currently charge will be borne by the user. Any charges less than what we currently charge will be borne at the existing rate,” it said.
Township clerk Karen Wallace said finding a company offering the services had been a challenge.
“It’s pretty specialized,” said Wallace. “There’s not a lot of companies or individuals that offer that service.”
Owen Sound Vault is responsible for at least 40 other cemeteries, she said.
The motion approved by council will see the township enter into an agreement with the company to provide burial services for the Mount Forest Cemetery starting April 1, and staff will report back to council in November about “the opportunities and challenges in contracting out the service.”
Wallace asked council for direction on the desired extended hours.
Lennox suggested consulting with the local funeral home and Owen Sound Vault before determining specific hours.