The Cass County Board of Supervisors spent over an hour today (Friday) discussing an amendment to a policy pertaining to the disposition of indigent persons’ remains. The Board tabled action on amending a Resolution on the topic and on how much the County should pay, until the wording is changed in the draft resolution presented before the Board. The current Draft version is entitled “Resolution to adopt Indigent Disposition (Cremation) Policy.” There are other clauses included in the resolution the Board wanted removed or reworded, especially with regard to cremations.

In attendance at the meeting were the owners and/or directors of the Hockenberry and Roland Funeral Homes, in Atlantic, along with Cass County Veterans Affairs Director Mitch Holmes, Cass County General Relief/Mental Health Coordinator Debbie Schuler, and Cass County Attorney Dave Wiederstein.

At issue, was whether the Supervisors have the authority to determine whether the remains of an indigent person should be cremated or buried? Dave Wiederstein said the policy should offer a choice for the survivors of the deceased, if there are any. He said his only concern is that if there is a religious objection to being cremated, the policy should offer the option of burial.

The County currently has the option of providing assistance for disposition of deceased, indigent persons remains, but it is NOT required to do so. Wiederstein said if the County offers cremations it should also offer burial. Currently, the County pays funeral homes a maximum flat rate of $2,000 for burials and $1,500 for cremations, plus the Medical Examiner’s fee, as well as “Reasonable and customary cemetery expenses not to exceed $500, or for burial of cremains $200.”

Mitch Holmes and Deb Schuler both acknowledged there has been a marked increase in the number of indigent burials over the past few years. The funeral directors said several younger persons who’ve passed away did not have life insurance, that would have covered at least some of the costs of disposition.

The County spent around $5,842 in 2013 from General Assistance for indigent burials. In 2014 that figure increased to $13,500, and last year it was $21,750. Those amounts do not include the cost of Veterans’ dispositions. Mitch Holmes said his budget is for three dispositions per year. The Board will take up the matter again during their meeting next week.