The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - Discussion at the August 20 City Council meeting resulted in a decision to modify the municipal code update approved in May that allowed only licensed monument companies to set headstones in City cemeteries.

In July, Cindy Hofer appealed to the Council to reconsider the updated code and shared that the cost of hiring a monument company to set a stone was prohibitively high if the stone was not purchased from that company. Hofer said she received an estimate of $30-$50 to set a stone purchased from a local company, but the fee was $500 if the stone was purchased elsewhere. Alternatively, a licensed and bonded local contractor would charge $50 for the installation.

Hofer also commented that she'd visited several local cemeteries where hiring independent contractors was allowed. Mayor Walt Gobel asked City Clerk Hinchliffe to see how nearby counties handle the situation and to report back in August.

At last week's meeting Hinchliffe said he had checked with other cemeteries and they all allow for independent contractors, though it requires more oversight by the groundskeeper. The City currently charges $60 to the monument company for the crew to oversee headstone placements and the Council considered the possibility of raising that fee to $100 for independent contractors to offset the additional oversight. In the end, the Council chose not to raise the fee and to allow licensed and bonded contractors to set monuments.

Hinchliffe will create specifications for headstone placements and will make the suggested changes to the ordinance to be approved at September's meeting.