By Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle City Council approved the purchase of a small parcel of land from CSX Transportation Inc. for the extension of the municipal cemetery at a regular meeting Nov. 28.

Mayor Randy Garrison was authorized by resolution to sign a purchase sales agreement of $13,000 with CSX for.93 acres. The parcel extends alongside the eastern boundary of the cemetery for 1,430 feet and will add 268 burial plots, wholly or partly, when developed.

In separate but related actions, the council authorized the removal of $13,000 from the cemetery fund to pay for the land and increased the cost of a burial plot from $500 to $750, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

Garrison said the Cemetery Committee recommended the land purchase and burial plot increase at a meeting two weeks earlier.

“We had reached the point where it was obvious we were going to run out of burial plots eventually without land to expand,” he said. “And we realized we were selling plots for less than most other cemeteries after making some calls and comparing prices.

“Burial plot prices at other locations range from $1,000 to $2,500,” he added.

Garrison commended Department of Development Director Jeff Johnson for his work with CSX officials in negotiating the land purchase.

Johnson said he first approached CSX about buying the land about a year ago and found their personnel easy to work with.

“Most of the due diligence work has already been done,” he said, “and we expect the closing to occur within a few weeks. When that’s done, we’ll have a surveyor come in and divide the parcel into burial lots.”

Garrison said the extension is only part of what is being planned to upgrade the cemetery.

A hedgerow separating the cemetery and landfill will be removed. It will be replaced with a decorative wrought-iron fence. Fencing will also be installed to separate the east side of the cemetery from railroad property, and the existing fence will be replaced.

The council acted on other matters as follows:

• Awarded a special event permits to Hartselle Kiwanis Club for the 2017 annual Christmas Parade, which is scheduled for Dec. 14.
• Declared a 2000 Ford Ranger as surplus for the Department of Development and authorized it to be listed for sale on govdeals.com.
• Approved a budget adjustment for the Parks and Recreation Department, changing a $50,000 heavy equipment line item to a light equipment line item.
• Declared as surplus an 85-horsepower Kubota tractor and authorized it to be replaced with a 52-horsepower Kubota finish mower.
• Authorized to refurbish two Toro 45000 mowers
• Authorized to purchase new Gravely 45-horsepower lawn vacuum.
• Authorized to purchase new three-point hitch PTO sprayer and new three-point hitch PTO spreader.