(a) Per Ohio R.C. 2108.70 through 2108.90, the City, by its City Manager or his designee, shall provide final disposition of decedent’s body per the arrangements selected by decedent’s named representative. If a representative is not named by the decedent, the decedent’s representative shall be determined per the following order of priority (See Ohio R.C. 2108.81):
(1) The surviving spouse;
(2) The surviving children;
(3) The surviving parent or parents;
(4) The surviving sibling whether the whole or the half blood or if there are more than one sibling of the whole or the half blood, all the surviving siblings collectively;
(5) The surviving grandparent or grandparents;
(6) The lineal decedents of the deceased person’s grandparents;
(7) A person who was the deceased person’s guardian at the time of deceased person’s death;
(8) Any other person willing to assume the right of disposition including the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate.
(b) If there is disagreement among group representatives or within a class with equal rights regarding disposition, the majority decision of the group or class shall prevail. (See Ohio R.C. 2108.79).
(c) When an interment is requested, the owner of the lot or the decedent’s representative shall determine which grave within a lot is to be used for the burial.
(d) If someone other than the original owner is to be buried in a grave, the City’s Burial Permission Form must be completed by the owner, or if deceased, by all of the next of kin of the owner, and submitted to the City Manager or his designee. Should the lot owner or the next of kin fail or neglect to provide the necessary documentation, the City reserves the right to deny the interment.
(e) Decedent’s representative shall contact the Cemetery office in order to determine the time of the burial. The priority of interments will be set based upon the order in which the applications are received by the City. The City requires two work days notice in advance of any interment. All efforts will be made to accommodate all applications.
(f) Upon reaching the cemetery, the City Manager or his designee shall assume control of all funeral processions. Each driver will be required to carefully observe and obey all directions given by cemetery officials.
(g) The scattering of cremains on a grave is prohibited. Scattering of cremains within Graceland Cemetery will be permitted in the Scattering Garden.
(h) The number of interments for one gravesite are:
(1) One adult burial; or
(2) One adult burial and up to three cremations; or
(3) One adult burial and one infant burial and up to two cremations; or
(4) Up to four cremations per gravesite; or
(5) Two adult burials with a double depth vault, but no other burials or cremations; or
(6) In the case of an infant, two burials may be allowed per burial plot.
(i) Cremation niches may include up to two cremations.
(j) Crypts may include one burial and one cremation.
(Ord. A-2566. Passed 5-27-08; Ord. A-2657. Passed 9-13-10.)