Besides being subject to these rules and regulations for the City cemeteries, all interments, disinterments and removals are subject to the orders, rules, regulations and laws of the properly constituted authorities of the City and State.
(a) 
Authorization for Interment.
The City reserves the right to refuse burial in any burial space if complete, correct and proper procedures are not followed or the death is suspicious and under criminal investigation.
(b) 
Facsimile, Electronic and Telephone Authorization.
The City may but shall not be obligated to complete certificates of transfer, endowment contracts or any or all other applications, contracts or paperwork via facsimile, electronic means, or telephone. The City shall not be held responsible for any order given by telephone, facsimile, other electronic means, or for any mistake occurring from the want of precise and proper telephonic, electronic and/or facsimile transmissions. Any changes, adjustments or corrections necessitated by such mistakes shall be at the expense of the burial space owner or the owner’s agent.
(c) 
Burial Permits Issued.
The Mesa County Bureau of Vital Statistics or other appropriate agencies shall issue a burial permit addressed to the City Clerk. No burial shall take place without a burial permit from the appropriate agency. In the case of cremated remains, such burial permit will accompany the body to the crematorium.
(Ord. 4607, 10-16-13; Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 10, 6-30-99)
The right is reserved by the City to insist upon notice at least 24 hours prior to any cremation or interment, and at least 10 days’ notice prior to any disinterment or removal. Any exceptions must be approved by the City Manager’s designee.
All interments, disinterments and removals must be arranged for in advance, but no interments, disinterments, removals, cremation or interment service shall be permitted on the Saturday or Sunday before or on Memorial Day. Exceptions may be granted for extenuating circumstances by the City Manager’s designee; however, the additional grave opening fee for Sundays and holidays will be charged.
(Ord. 4607, 10-16-13; Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 11, 6-30-99)
(a) 
No Interment Unless Paid in Full.
No interment shall be permitted or memorial placed in or on any space not fully paid for. A promissory note or installment contract for purchase shall not be considered as payment and no rights shall be acquired by the burial space purchaser of said interment or interments until such is fully paid for in good funds. The City Manager’s designee may accept from the legal representative of a deceased a bond or other surety or guaranty of payment.
(b) 
More Than One Body.
Not more than one body, or the remains of more than one body, shall be interred in one grave, vault, crypt or niche; however, with the written consent of the City Manager’s designee, with the consent attached to the certificate of ownership, the remains of an infant may be buried in the grave space with the parent or cremated remains may be placed in the same grave, crypt or niche with one adult or infant burial or other cremated remains; provided, proper identification is made of such interment or interments on one crypt, niche, memorial or marker; and provided, the appropriate fees have been paid. In no event shall more than five remains be allowed in one full size space (four feet by 10 feet approximately).
(c) 
No interments, including cremated remains, shall be buried in a grave space without a vault.
(Ord. 4607, 10-16-13; amended during 2009 recodification; Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 12, 6-30-99)
(a) 
Delay From Protest.
The City shall be in no way liable for any delay in the interment of a body where a protest to the interment has been made or where the rules, regulations and ordinances of the City or other applicable law have not been complied with. The City shall be under no duty to recognize any protests of interments unless they are in writing and filed with the City Clerk, or are by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) 
Not Responsible for Identity.
The City shall not be liable for information contained in the certificate of ownership or for any or all documents and records nor for the identity of the person sought to be interred, cremated or disinterred.
(c) 
Errors May Be Corrected.
The City shall not be liable and reserves and shall have the right to correct any errors that may be made by it, either in making interments, disinterments or removals, or in the description, transfer or conveyance of any space, by correcting as required any errors in form or substance made to any documents. In any event the liability of the City shall be no greater than the cost of the space(s) at the time of purchase.
(Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 13, 6-30-99)
Only the City shall open and close graves. The placement of urns by a monument company is allowed when the company is placing a marker or monument at the same time. Proper notice shall be given to the cemetery office.
(Amended during 2009 recodification; Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 14, 6-30-99)
Funeral processions, on reaching a cemetery, shall be under the guidance and control of the cemetery staff. Automobile and motorcycle engines must not be kept running in close proximity to any funeral during the services. Funeral services shall be scheduled at such a time where the service will be complete prior to 4:00 p.m. unless a surcharge has been paid to the City in advance.
(Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 15, 6-30-99)
Fees shall be charged for all grave spaces, digging and filling of graves, disinterments, reinterments and the overtime services of the City employees. All fees so charged are to be paid to the City Clerk.
(a) 
A graduated fee shall be charged for the opening and closing of graves in the burial of infants, children, adults and cremated remains; the schedule of graduated fees shall be established by resolution of the City Council.
(b) 
For disinterments and reinterments, a fee shall be charged for infant, child and adult graves, which fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the City Council.
(Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 16, 6-30-99)
Once a casket containing a body or an urn containing the remains of a body is within the confines of the cemetery, no funeral director, embalmer, assistant, employee or agent, nor any cemetery employee shall be permitted to open the casket or to touch the body or the remains of the body without the consent of a member of the immediate family, the legal representative of the deceased or without a court order or written consent filed with the City Clerk.
(Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 17, 6-30-99)
Once a casket containing a body is within the confines of the cemetery and has been accepted for interment by the City Manager’s designee, no funeral director, embalmer, assistant, employee or agent, nor any cemetery employee shall remove or permit the removal of the casket or body contained therein without the written consent of a member of the immediate family, nearest of kin, legal representative of the deceased or without a court order. A casket containing a body cannot be accepted for interment by the City Manager’s designee until the City receives a signed, properly completed burial order form and burial permit for the deceased.
(Ord. 4607, 10-16-13; Adm. Reg. 1-99 § 18, 6-30-99)