Sharing this news story: "Elyria Cemeteries May see changes for Headstones"

This feature story centers around the increasing costs of conducting indigent burials in Elyria (Lorain County) Ohio.

 Excerpt:

"The proposal presented at the committee meeting is asking for those who have indigent burials and intend to purchase a headstone to pay a $350 fee for a plot and the footer fee for the headstone."

 

Elyria has three cemeteries.  Ridgelawn Cemetery, being its most historic cemetery; Brookdal Cemetery which is also known as the Elyria City Cemetery, and North Murray Ridge Cemetery which is a smaller pioneer cemetery with some more recent burials.  

Ohio Revised Code 5121.11 :

"Burial or cremation of indigent patient or resident"

"The state shall bear the expense of the burial or cremation of an indigent resident who dies in a state institution operated by the department of developmental disabilities under section 5123.03 of the Revised Code or in a state correctional institution if the body is not claimed for interment or cremation at the expense of friends or relatives or is not delivered for anatomical purposes or for the study of embalming in accordance with section 1713.34 of the Revised Code. 

The managing officer of the institution shall provide at the grave of the person or, if the person's cremated remains are buried, at the grave of the person's cremated remains, a metal, stone, or concrete marker on which shall be inscribed the name and age of the person and the date of death.

Amended by 128th General Assembly 

ch.29, SB 79, §1, eff. 10/6/2009.

Effective Date: 08-05-1998; 01-01-2006"

 

"Indigent Funeral Guidelines for Ohio"

Excerpt:
"The state laws of Ohio are explicitly clear about the guidelines of indigent funerals. 

The rising cost of funerals means families faced with unexpected deaths may not be able to afford a funeral for their loved ones. 

Prior to 2001, the state of Ohio paid $750 for the funeral of an indigent person claimed by the family. The law was repealed and the cost, as of 2011, falls upon the cities and municipalities of the state."

 

Section 9.15 

"Burial or cremation of body at expense of township or municipal corporation."

"As used in this section, "legal residence" means a permanent place of abode used or occupied as living quarters at the time of a person's death, including a nursing home, hospital, or other care facility.

When the body of a dead person is found in a township or municipal corporation, and such person was not an inmate of a correctional, benevolent, or charitable institution of this state, and the body is not claimed by any person for private interment or cremation at the person's own expense, or delivered for the purpose of medical or surgical study or dissection in accordance with section 1713.34 of the Revised Code, it shall be disposed of as follows:

(A) If the person was a legal resident of the county, the proper officers of the township or municipal corporation in which the person's body was found shall cause it to be buried or cremated at the expense of the township or municipal corporation in which the person had a legal residence at the time of death. 

(B) If the person had a legal residence in any other county of the state at the time of death, the superintendent of the county home of the county in which such body was found shall cause it to be buried or cremated at the expense of the township or municipal corporation in which the person had a legal residence at the time of death. 

(C) If the person was an inmate of a correctional institution of the county or a patient or resident of a benevolent institution of the county, the person had no legal residence in the state, or the person's legal residence is unknown, the superintendent shall cause the person to be buried or cremated at the expense of the county. 

Such officials shall provide, at the grave of the person or, if the person's cremated remains are buried, at the grave of the person's cremated remains, a metal, stone, or concrete marker on which the person's name and age, if known, and date of death shall be inscribed.

A political subdivision is not relieved of its duty to bury or cremate a person at its expense under this section when the body is claimed by an indigent person. As used in this section, "indigent person" means a person whose income does not exceed one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty line, as revised annually by the United States department of health and human services in accordance with section 673(2) of the "Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981," 95 Stat. 511, 42 U.S.C. 9902, as amended, for a family size equal to the size of the person's family."

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Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 240, §1, eff. 8/31/2016.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 2007 HB119 09-29-2007 

  

Further updates to come:

"Through the 19th of this month, we had nine burials and four were indigent. 

The money we put out just this month is very costly to us.”

Council could start to discuss the issue Feb. 3.