City continues search for new cemetery site

Whitefish City Council is committed to finding a new cemetery site for the city and will extend the service of the ad hoc committee charged with looking for a site.

The committee had previously explored city-owned property for a location, but the sites were found to be unsuitable.

Council met with the cemetery committee Jan. 22 during a work session and directed the committee to continue its search for up to two years to find suitable land for a cemetery. It also tasked the committee with looking into adding a columbarium, an above-ground wall for cremation remains, at the current site.

Established in 1917, the current Whitefish Cemetery has reached capacity and no new lots are available for sale. The cemetery committee has spent roughly two years searching for a new cemetery site.

Committee member Ole Netteberg reminded the council how important the issue is to many residents of Whitefish in particular those who have lived here their entire lives.

“We live here because we want to live in the community,” he said. “It’s important for it to be a community cemetery. The community’s responsibility should also be to the dead, not just the living.”

Council seemed committed to the idea of creating a new cemetery even if that means purchasing land to do so. Some were willing to expand the search area beyond city limits to find the right piece of property.

“I don’t want to constrain you,” councilor John Anderson told the committee. “If there’s options for property out there.”

“We can look at areas in and out of the city limits if it meets our requirements,” councilor Bill Khale said.

Two proposed sites for a new cemetery were southwest of the city’s wastewater treatment plant along the Whitefish River and on the southern portion of the city’s public works shop off of West 18th Street. Applied Water Consulting evaluated the sites and found that each has a high water table.

Last week council dismissed the original sites based upon the groundwater evaluation and turned the focus to potentially purchasing private land.

Gene Lamb, who owns agricultural land off of Karrow Avenue, has offered his land as a possible site. He estimates about 15 acres are available for a cemetery at the site near the Assembly of God church.

“It’s got a nice open view,” he said. “I knew they were looking for property — I just thought it would be a beautiful place for a cemetery. You get in one corner you can see the whole Swan range up to Big Mountain.”

The city’s real estate committee and cemetery committee are expected to meet with Lamb to flush out details of performing groundwater testing on the site and if the land is found to be suitable, what it might cost.

How the city will pay to purchase land and to develop a cemetery is uncertain at this point.

City Manager Chuck Stearns suggested a scenario in which the city would obtain a state loan for the purchase and development of the cemetery. The sale of the plots would go toward recouping that cost.

During its initial work, the cemetery committee conducted a survey of residents. Of those who responded, 76 percent said they preferred cremation as their preferred form of burial.

Based upon the survey, councilor Phil Mitchell suggested the committee work on details concerning adding a columbarium at the current cemetery. He said he’d like to know the cost and if space is available.

“That seems to be some kind of solution for the short term,” he said. “I think we should look into that. I think those would sell like hotcakes.”