The Public Cemetery: Meeting Challenges in a Time of Change
1. THE PUBLIC CEMETERY:
MEETING NEW CHALLENGES IN A
TIME OF CHANGE
Georgia MunicipalCemeteryAssociation | 4 October 2017
Robert (Sherman)Yehl, Associate Professor of Political Science
Valdosta State University
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4. Armageddon
Lack of space
Eroded trust funds
Higher maintenance costs
Cremation
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5. History
Town commons, church yards
Urban growth
19th century
Park like settings
Cultural significance
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6. A Public Issue
“Sensitive” contents
Expansion – nuisance
Environmental externalities
Older population
Discrimination
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7. The Planning Challenge
Still a need for grave space
83,000 additional acres needed
between 2024 and 2042
Expenditures exceeding revenues
Deferred maintenance
Utilities
Staffing
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8. 21st Century Management
Secondary purposes
Long-term planning
Benchmarking
New services
Technology
Staffing
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9. Protect|Preserve|Promote
Annual fee review
New products
Dedicate tax
”Green” burials
Reframe as park
Enhanced security
Website/social media
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In preparing our article for The Public Manager, Dr. Wickersham and I surveyed respondents on how the might preserve, protect, and promote their cemeteries. There are many ideas out there – from ensuring that revenue keeps up with costs, offering new products and services, dedicating a portion of the property tax specifically for cemetery operations, promoting more green burials which have less of an environmental impact, reframe the cemetery as a park for enjoyment for both the living and dead, ensuring there is adequate security to reduce vandalism and promote safety, and simply provide a website can help promote your cemetery not only to your citizens but to people everywhere – especially if you have unique monuments or celebrities buried that can drive traffic and interest.