Funeral homes object to city policy changes


During the Henderson City Council’s public comment period for non-agenda items in Monday evening’s meeting, two funeral home directors objected to changes in city grave opening policy that were made during a city council meeting on June 28, 2010.

Among other changes, those enacted by the city required grave openings and closings in city-owned Elmwood Cemetery to be done by funeral homes rather than the city and further required that funeral homes carry the appropriate insurance for doing so.

Funeral home owner Ronald Vaughn spoke to the council and told members that the problem is that the city is not charging enough money for opening and closing graves by $200 to $300.

He told members that they are “behind” and “uninformed” about what is going on.

Vaughn went on to say that he was not going to take out insurance for the cemetery or be responsible for anything. He also said that gravediggers would not be responsible, either.

He noted that the city was not responsible for thefts of funeral home property at Elmwood Cemetery.

John Ayscue of Flowers Funeral Home also spoke on the insurance issue. He said that digging graves is a contracted item out of which he does not make a profit. He asked why he should provide insurance.

In both cases, Henderson Mayor Pete O’Geary said that City Manager Ray Griffin would set up a meeting with both men to discuss the matter.

Council member Mike Rainey asked why the insurance issue needed to be changed. Griffin responded that the changes were made to reduce cost and city personnel.

Rainey responded that there is an opportunity to offset costs for digging graves.

In an attempt to clarify the issue, member Mike Inscoe said that if the contractor [gravedigger] has insurance, that would be fine. He emphasized that the funeral home needs to contract with someone who has insurance.

City Attorney John Zollicoffer told members that the liability lies in digging a grave in the wrong place or burying someone in the wrong hole.

Member Mary Emma Evans stated that she had concerns about cemetery privatization anyway, and that the council “did not think it through”. She said the issue was worth revisiting.

Council member Sara Coffey said that when the matter was discussed earlier, she did not think that funeral homes would be required to have insurance, but rather thought it would come down to the individual contractor.

“I think you should have sent us a letter and talked to us,” Vaughn said.