Junction City does not have funding in the proposed 2016 budget for Highland Cemetery.

In year’s past Junction City has funded the private cemetery…this year to a total of $60,000.

Casey Gorham, Cemetery Spokesman did not submit a budget request for next year, but told the City Commission Tuesday night that he was not asked to. Gorham say sthis past year the Cemetery lost approximately $37,000, partly due to depreciation and they did purchase a new mower. They had to use funds from their road maintenance fund to pay the bills.

“Since then the Board has gone up on the prices of our lots out there. But we’re pretty much limited on how we can raise funds,” said Gorham. “We can sell barial lots, we can do opening and closings and we do some miscelanious income in that we take care of St. Mary’s mowing and the opening and closing of those graves, which gives us some additional income.”

Gorham added if they can’t continue to run the cemetery it could go into a cemetery district which leaves only Junction City, because the rest of the county is covered by different cemetery districts.

“The other thing was is that, and I’m not a lawyer, but by statute if we can’t run it then the City would probably end up having to take it over and I think that that would be more expensive than helping fund us as we presently are.”

Cheryl Beatty, City Finance Director noted that she does not believe the private cemetery is a City function.

Allen Dinkel, City Manager said he would make the argument with State Statute it would be the County’s responsibility, but Gorham disagreed.

City Attorney Katie Logan noted she didn’t know those State Statutes.

Mayor Mick McCallister told City Staff he would like them to continue to communicate with the Cemetery group on this issue.