Colbert to survey cemetery expansion

Colbert leaders have OK’d $12,500 for the surveying of lots and streets for a new 2.5-acre section which would add 225-250 plots to the cemetery.

The existing cemetery has less than 10 plots left unsold.

“We’re getting to the point where we need to do something,” Mayor John Waggoner said.

The city hired Ray Wood for the surveying job and will pay half of his fee out of this year’s budget and the rest out of next year’s funds.
The new portion has already been cleared and grassed.

Waggoner recommended Wood for the surveying job, noting that he also performed surveying for Colbert 10 years ago.

“When you go to dealing with this kind of stuff with surveyors, in my opinion you need to go with somebody you know,” Mayor Waggoner said.

Any public works job under $20,000 doesn’t have to be bid.

An alternative was to survey half of the new section now, and the rest later, but Waggoner said that might end up costing more.

The council agreed that a complete survey now is the right move.

“I say we go ahead and get the whole thing done and be done with it,” councilman Chris Peck said.

The city has expanded the cemetery twice since Waggoner became mayor in 1969. The first addition added approximately 170 spots. The next enlarged the cemetery by 80 more lots.

“By the way, if facts are known, I have probably sold more real estate in Madison County, with the number of lots, than anybody around,” Waggoner joked.