General Cemetery Information• XVII. General Cemetery Information (See: Document File #2498)
A. The Clearwater Cemetery consists of 16 blocks and was deeded to the
City on October 4, 1916. Some blocks are platted and some are not.
B. Sizes of headstones are in Ordinance #2611 -82 (adopted 2- 4 -82).
C. Current prices are $200 per adult space, except those in Lots 41 -59
of Block 16 adjacent to the railroad track right -of -way which sell
for $125.00 Baby spaces are $50.00. Urn spaces are $100.00 and located
in Block 14, Lots 1 -240.
D. A maximum of 2 bodies are permitted in one space providing one is a
baby or an urn or both are urns. In the urn section 2 urns are allowed
per space. Caskets over 5 feet require a vault or outside concrete
receptacle.
E. Lots may be sold by individuals, but we would appreciate knowing the
current ownership information for our records.
F. All above - ground plantings or enclosures are prohibited. Flower
receptacles must be ground level, cut flowers are left for 7 days and
then disposed of, and artificial flowers are left until they start
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to look bad. Potted plants, veterans' wreaths and flags are permitted
on grave spaces for observation of Memorial Day from one week prior
to one week afterwards and then will be removed.
G. We do not have perpetual care and the ground level markers required
are for easier maintenance. Groundskeepers are at the cemetery 5 days
a week, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
H. Purchase of spaces a-e handled at City Hall. Records are kept at City
Hall. We recommend that purchasers go to the cemetery to see the
spaces before purchasing one.
I. Urns must be placed 18 inches deep and caskets 48 inches deep. Urn
placement must be handled through a funeral home and a burial permit
is issued. The husband should be buried with feet pointing to the
east and the wife is buried to the husband's left.
XVIII. Purchase of Cemetery Lots
A. Get all necessary information (owner's name, address, county if other
than Pinellas, block, lot, and space they are buying), money, and write
the receipt. and space they are buying.
1. Include the recording fee - $5.00 per page and 450 per $100 or
portion thereof.
Example: $125 space - recording fee would be $5.90
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B. Record space sold on calendar.
C. Put information in proper cemetery book on shelf. Blue Book is Block
1 - 11, Green Book Block 12 - 16. (See Sample #19)
D. Put information on map and in index.
E. Type deed and after it is routed for signatures, witnessed and
notarized, it goes for recording at Courthouse.
1. Each space must be done on a separate deed.
F. After recording, do the letter which is sent with the deed (CEM.DS),
make a copy of the letter and the deed and send out originals. (See
Sample #20)
G. Do accounting record sheet.
1. Accounting records are in 3 books in the vault.
XIX. Purchase of a Cemetery Lot on Contract
A. A cemetery lot may be purchased with a minimum of $20.00 down payment
per space and the balance to be paid in equal installments over the
next 6 months.
1. The recording fee must be paid at the time of the final payment.
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B. Fill in the contract on the Jacquard (SPACE.DS), have the purchaser
sign it, witness their signature, and route for signatures.
1. After fully executed, send the purchaser a copy and keep the
original.
C. Mark proper book as sold, and do the accounting record which is kept
with the contract.
D. Put on monthly report as sold.
E. When paid in full, type deed and handle as usual.
1. The space cannot be used until the contract is paid in full.
XX. Repurchase of Cemetery Lots by the City
A. The City will repurchase cemetery spaces at 85% of the original
purchase price.
B. We should receive the original deed from the owner and have them sign
a quit claim deed which we type and have recorded at the Courthouse.
1. If the person wishing to sell does not have a deed, we do not
purchase the space unless they know the exact date of purchase
and we can locate the transaction in the accounting records.
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C. Type authorization for disbursement and send to Finance.
D. After transaction is complete, adjust our records and, on next cemetery
monthly report, add to spaces available for sale.
E. If the owner we have listed on our records is not the same as the
person wishing to sell, we will need paperwork showing that the person
has authority to do so.
XXI. Burial of Someone Who Already Owns a Cemetery Space
A. Get all necessary information - name of deceased, date of birth, date
of death, name of funeral home and funeral director, date and time
of funeral, legal description of space (if they know it), and owner
of space.
B. Verify ownership of space (check index and proper book if they don't
know legal description).
C. Call 6835 (radio dispatch) to stake.
D. Put information on map, in index and in proper cemetery book.
E. Make out burial permit form in duplicate and note the staking fee
charge. (See Sample #21)
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1. Staking fee is $15.00 for workdays and $25.00 for weekends and
holidays.
2. The staking fee is normally paid by the funeral home.
3. The fee must be paid before the burial permit is completed or radio
dispatch is called.
XXII. Requirements for Moving a Body From One Space to Another
A. Contact the funeral home that handled the burial. They will then
contact the County Health Department for approval and get the permit
from the Vital Statistics Bureau.
B. Permission from the family should be obtained but this can be waived
if the family cannot be contacted.
C. The funeral home arranges for the vault company to handle the moving
of the body.
NOTE: All changes that have occurred since microfiching are
recorded on a tablet in front of the burial permits.
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XXIII. Cemetery Monthly Report
A. The beginning of each month type an Interoffice Memo, listing the legal
description of spaces sold, with the purchaser's name, and a running
balance of spaces available for sale.
B. Send original to Parks and Recreation Director and a copy to the
Cemetery Superintendent. Keep a copy for our records.
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