Marseilles to consider taking over cemetery care

The city of Marseilles may soon be taking on the responsibility for some new property.

Bill Kuiper, one of the directors of the Seals-Campbell Funeral Home in Marseilles, asked the Marseilles City Council on Wednesday to consider taking over the Marseilles Cemetery Association and with it, the care of the city’s Riverview and Nichol cemeteries.

According to Kuiper, the Marseilles cemeteries cover 22 acres and are one of only two in the state that are operated by a funeral home, his, and not the cities that they’re located in.

The 10-person association board, he said, would be happy to stay intact and continue its oversight, which includes grave sales, record keeping and the registration of activities with the state.

It would prefer, however, to do that as part of the city to rid itself of what Kuiper called being “over-regulated” mainly because of disreputable incidents taking place in the Chicagoland area.

“People think we own it and we make money on it, but we don’t,” Kuiper said. “The city already helps us. It helps us with the roads, with the cleanup in the spring and if we have a tree down, they take it away, but it’s to the point where we can’t hardly do it anymore … We’re asking for your help.”

The State Comptroller Office does an annual audit of the association and has found it financially solid, but has recommended it ask the city to take control while there still is money available to operate. The comptroller has offered to have representatives meet with city officials to explain the takeover and answer any questions it might have.

Kuiper said that more often than not, when funds run dry it is the city usually that’s forced to take over the care.

In this case, however, the association has been frugal, going beyond the mandatory 25% of grave sales funds going into perpetual care to 50%, giving it a current balance of more than $501,000 in perpetual care and general funds available.

The association has been paying roughly $18,000 annually to have the mowing done, but Kuiper, now 74 years of age, has done most of the weeding. That would be an added expense of about $1,250 per month, he said.

He added the interest on the available funds should just about cover those expenses, with the city able to get an extra 1% of interest.

Kuiper also explained that the Seals, Campbell and his own family have been putting money into the association to keep it operating, but it’s time to pass control.

“The deed to Riverview Cemetery just says Marseilles on it, the same as Knudson Park or Broadway Park,” Kuiper said, “and there’s no reason why my son, my wife and I should have to support that other than the feeling that it’s something that should be done.

“Something is going to happen sometime. If we just start letting (the money) dwindle, then we’re going to come and dump it in your lap when it’s broke, just like in other cities. We don’t want to do that.”

Mayor Jim Hollenbeck said the council would consider the suggestion and get back to him.