The County of Wetaskiwin granted funds during their regular meeting May 1 to cemetery associations that requested them.
The agenda item, 2018 Cemetery Operating Assistance Grant, was presented by director of Finance Grace French.
“Annually the County of Wetaskiwin offers Cemetery Grants to various Cemeteries throughout the County in accordance with the ‘Cemetery Maintenance Grant Policy #1805,’” stated French in her report.
“The Cemetery Operating Assistance Grant Program is available upon receipt of prior year’s financial statement and budget applications. The prior years’ applicants are forwarding an application. The grant available is $10 per plot to a maximum of $1,000.
“To date 28 cemeteries out of 28 have applied for the grant for a total of $24,720.
“The budget for 2018 for Cemeteries is $58,304; $28,654 is allocated to the City of Wetaskiwin for the Wetaskiwin Memorial Cemetery; $24,650 is allocated to other local organizations cemeteries and the remaining. $5,000 is to be allocated to reserves.”
French did point out these grants are not automatically sent out; they must be applied for.
Cemetery expenses usually include things like grass mowing and maintenance. The cemeteries that applied included Alder Flats Cemetery, Hegge Community Cemetery, Malmo Mission Covenant Church Cemetery, St. Norbert’s Catholic Cemetery, Twin Creek Cemetery and many others.
Councilors unanimously approved the cemetery funding requests.