(A) There shall be a Cemetery Department governed by a Cemetery Advisory Board which will be responsible for recommendations of enhancements of all city cemeteries subject to approval by the City Council.
(B) (1) The Cemetery Advisory Board shall consist of five members to be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council with one of the five appointed members serving as Chairperson.
(2) The Chairperson shall be elected annually from among the members.
(3) Three members shall be appointed to three-year overlapping terms and serve until their successors have been appointed and have taken office. The terms shall be staggered so that the term of one Advisory Board member shall expire every year. The fourth member shall be a member of the City Council, shall be appointed by the Mayor, and shall serve an indefinite term; however, such term shall automatically end when the City Council member ceases to serve on the City Council. The fifth member shall be a city employee recommended by the City Manager and confirmed by the City Council and shall serve an indefinite term; however, such term shall automatically end at such time as the city employee ceases to be employed with the city.
(4) The City Manager or his or her appointee shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member.
(C) (1) The Cemetery Advisory Board shall meet quarterly on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m. in City Hall, 300 West Evergreen Street, Durant, Oklahoma.
(2) Any member of the Board that misses two consecutive meetings or three meetings in any calendar year shall have effectively resigned to hold their position on the Board.
(D) The Cemetery Advisory Board shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) Recommend enhancements of the cemetery to the City Manager for consideration and subject to approval by the City Council;
(2) Research, review, and make recommendations for the pricing of cemetery lots and other cemetery services, when a need exists, to the City Manager for consideration and subject to approval by the City Council;
(3) Receive and consider recommendations and inquiries from the public regarding the operation of the cemetery and provide such recommendations and inquiries to the Cemetery Superintendent. Any responsive action taken resulting from said recommendations and inquiries from the public shall be subject to approval by the City Manager or City Council, whichever is appropriate; and
(4) Compilation of Highland Cemetery information handbook subject to approval by the City Council.
(E) The appointment and/or removal of employees of the Cemetery Department shall be made by the City Manager or his or her designate.
(Prior Code, § 32.047) (Ord. 1144, passed 12-12-1989; Ord. 1283, passed 7-13-1999; Ord. 1745, passed 1-13-2015; Ord. 1899, passed 3-10-2020)