Letters to the Editor: A response by Gallatin City Administrator

I was contacted several weeks back by Darryl Wilkinson about some concerns/question you had regarding the Gallatin owned cemeteries. First off let me say thank you for your generous support of the Gallatin cemeteries over the years. Donations, like yours, generate approximately $4,000 in annual revenue. That money is kept separate from all other monies and City Funds, and used solely for the upkeep and maintenance of our City cemeteries. Unfortunately annual maintenance costs exceed the amount of donations by about $7,000. Each year the City makes a transfer from its General Fund to the Cemetery Fund to cover these expenditures. City finances are audited each year and I can assure you all cemetery monies are accurately accounted for and handled properly.

However, there are some deficiencies with the cemetery records. Over the years various individuals responsible for keeping cemetery records failed to properly document in writing the actions of the cemeteries. We have also had large amounts of records “misplaced” by previous disgruntled employees and sextons. This leaves City Hall with very few cemetery records. Another problem we face is the accuracy of those records. This problem stems from the names of the cemeteries. There are three City cemeteries located just north of town; Brown, Greenwood, and Greenwood Addition to Brown. I am sure you can see the confusion already. There have been multiple people who believed their plot is in Greenwood when in reality it is in Greenwood Addition. There are individuals buried in Greenwood Addition that should have been buried in Greenwood. To compound the confusion, at one point in time multiple individuals could sell a plot at the cemetery. The Mayor, City Clerk, Cemetery Sexton, Police Chief and a few others could all sell plots. These transactions didn’t have to be recorded. Add that with a simple breakdown in communication and a single plot could have been sold to multiple people. We have seen up to three deeds for the same plot. All of these problems forced the City to stop selling lots several years back.

I am a firm believer every problem has a solution. Unfortunately our solutions to these problems produce a minimal result. The City will continue to address each discrepancy/conflict as they arise. We will strive to find a fair and reasonable solution. We cannot change the past, but we can safeguard the future. Current staff, with the help of David McWilliams, has put together polices and procedures to ensure proper record keeping of current and future actions. We have also adopted cemetery rules and regulations to ensure proper upkeep and maintenance. I am confident our efforts will have a positive impact on the cemeteries now and for years to come.

Again, thank you for your generosity and support of our City cemeteries. Please feel free to contact me at City Hall, I would be happy to answer any questions that still remain.

Zachary Johnson,
Gallatin City Administrator