ST. GEORGE — The date for residents to contact the city of St. George to reaffirm claims to unused burial plots in the downtown cemetery has been extended through the end of the year.
St. George City Council unanimously voted on Thursday to extend the deadline for verifying the ownership status on cemetery burial plots that have gone unused for 60 or more years.
If the plot’s owners or their families cannot be found or do not contact the city, state law allows for the city to reclaim unused plots.
The original deadline to contact the city about unused family plots was June 26. However, the council voted to move this date to Dec. 31, 2023.
By that date residents who own a burial plot must have submitted paperwork that verifies their claim and renews their ownership status with the city. If that doesn’t happen, the city could potentially reclaim the burial plot on Jan. 1, 2024.
The city has identified 390 abandoned plots. As of Thursday, 180 attempts have been made to contact their individual owners, Assistant City Attorney Ryan Dooley told the City Council. The ownership of 50 plots has been confirmed and either renewed or transferred as needed, he said.
Due to the number of inquiries the city had received about unclaimed plots following the city’s previous notice, Dooley said city staff recommended extending the deadline.
“It’s good to extend the deadline,” Mayor Michele Randall said.
Reclaiming the seemingly abandoned cemetery plots was discussed by the City Council in April, with a subsequent resolution to begin the process passing on May 4.
The city has posted the resolution and a list of the subject plots on the city government website. The list can be found here.
Among those who discovered their family had claim to an unused plot was that of Councilman Jimmie Hughes.
“Because of this process, I found a plot as an executor of my parents estate that I did not know about,” Hughes said. “So we’ve been going through the process of getting it to the appropriate person – one of my stepfather’s grandchildren — that will be able to use it … It’s been a great process. It’s helped a lot of people to move forward and get their plots to where they can be used, and that’s what we want.”
City officials previously stated that the goal has been to help residents and family members retain claims and rights to the burial plots, rather than for the city to reclaim them.
Priority for the plots will go to the closest heir or descendant. Any grandchild or great-grandchild will need to eventually provide proof that all interested heirs or descendants agree to the disposition of the lot.
Prior to any lot being transferred, the city’s cemetery staff will inspect the lot to ensure that it is vacant and appears useful for burial. The last time St. George engaged in reclaiming cemetery plots was in the 1980s.
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