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Show Centerville OK's new gravemarkers By TOM HARALDSEN CENTERVILLE Approval has been granted for creation of an ordinance allowing above-ground markers in the Centerville cemetery. Though the city has only had a regulatory ordinance prohibiting such markers since December 1985, the previous ordinance said the "City Council shall by resolution designate the type of markers, grade of ground, plantings and other improvements im-provements which may be permitted per-mitted in the city cemetery." Even after the 1985 ordinance, many above-ground markers have been erected in the Centerville cemetery. There has been no requirement re-quirement from monument companies com-panies to obtain a building permit prior to such construction, and in other cases, relatives of those who have been buried in Centerville ordered such monuments unaware of their prohibition. The council heard from Roger Bott from the Bountiful Memorial Art Company, who detailed how other communities have changed ordinances and thus allowed such monuments. Steve Grant, Center -ville's Parks and Cemetery supervisor, super-visor, said the maintenance cost for such above-ground markers is about four times higher than that of flat markers. He also told the council that some communities have allowed allow-ed the larger markers but added a maintenance surcharge to be paid upfront to offset those costs. In a letter from Grant to City Administrator David Hales, he suggests sug-gests that upright markers be allowed allow-ed in all sections except the western portion of Plat C at the cemetery, which is at the southwest edge. He also recommended that a one-time installation charge of $150 to $250 be assessed for placement of an upright marker be instituted. |