(A) All interments, disinterments and or removals in or from the cemetery are subject to these rules and the state statutes.
(B) Traditional interments are conducted by a licensed funeral director.
(C) Interments on Saturday mornings and afternoons, or village-recognized holidays shall be allowed for religious reasons, extraordinary, or extenuating circumstances. Sunday funerals shall only be allowed for religious reasons and shall be charged at the Saturday afternoon or village holiday rate.
(D) Interment, interment services, disinterments and/or removals shall be made under the direction of a licensed funeral director according to the laws of the State of Nebraska, Buffalo County, the State Board of Health and in the presence of a licensed mortician (except in the case of a cremation interment or disinterment).
(E) Disinterments or removals will not be permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, federal or village-recognized holidays.
(F) The village shall be given at least one week notice of the intention to disinter or remove a body from the cemetery or to another part of the cemetery. When disinterment is made, the village shall permit only the following persons to be present:
(1) A member or members of the immediate family.
(2) The mortician conducting the disinterment.
(3) A legal enforcement official authorized by a court order.
(4) Any other person specifically authorized by law or court order.
(5) Any other person(s) that are needed to perform disinterment and/or re-interment.
(G) The interment of two bodies in one grave space will not be permitted except in the following cases:
(1) Two infants.
(2) One infant and one cremation.
(3) One cremation and one adult burial (where sufficient space is available).
(4) Two cremations.
(5) One adult and one infant.
(H) No interments of anything other than that of a human being will be permitted within the cemetery.
(I) All cremations shall be buried pursuant to Nebraska Department of Health Regulations. Interment utilizing above-ground cremation enclosure/container may be permitted by obtaining prior written authorization from the village. Such enclosure/container shall meet all cemetery rules and regulation for lot set back, lot coverage, and shall be placed in conformance with regulations for monuments and markers.
(J) No interments will be permitted until the village has been notified and all laws and regulations relative to the interment have been complied with. No interments shall be made until such grave space or spaces have been paid for.
(K) Advance notice of not less than 48 hours must be given to the village, of the intention to enter the remains of any person who died of a virulent contagious disease and arrangements made in accordance with the rules of the State Board of Health made for the protection of the public and the cemetery employees. If any additional costs are incurred in this process the village shall bill such cost in addition to the standard cost.
(L) The lot owner and/or funeral director shall designate the location of the graves on the lot to the village staff and any change of location made after the opening of the grave has began shall be at the expense of the lot owner/funeral director. When definite information for locating a grave is not available in ample time for grave preparation to meet the time requested for interment, the Superintendent will exercise his or her best judgment in establishing the location in order that the requested time for interment may be met. The village, cemetery, or its employees assumes no responsibility for any error in such location. An additional charge will be made for any change requested.
(M) The village and its employees shall not be held responsible for any orders given by phone, or for any mistake resulting from the lack of precise and proper instructions as to the particular space, size, or location in a plot where an interment is desired.
(N) The cemetery shall be in no way liable for any delays in the interment of a body where a protest to the interment has been made or where the rules or regulations have not been followed. The village shall be under no duty to recognize any protest to interment unless they are in writing and filed at the cemetery.
(O) All interment shall be contained in a concrete box or vault only, except for infants or cremation interments, in which case an infant interment may use a fiberglass casket vault combination. Cremation containers maybe of any type allowed by Nebraska Department of Health Regulations.
(P) Disinterments by heirs of a body so that the grave space or lot may be sold for profit to themselves or to any other persons, or disinterment contrary to the written directions of the original grave space or lot owner, shall not be allowed.
(Q) The village and/or its employees shall not be liable for any damages to any casket, vault, or box incurred in making a removal. Fee charges for such service are set in Appendix A attached to Ordinance 2022-23 are evaluated annually.
(Res. 2022-23, passed 10-27-2022)