A plan to erect a columbarium at Union Cemetery was approved by the Brewton City Council Tuesday — allowing an opportunity to inter cremated remains in spaces other than traditional burial plots.
Dr. Robert Hayes, a member of the Brewton Tree and Beautification Board overseeing cemeteries, addressed the council with the proposal that would offer 96 spaces for the remains.
“The funds for the columbarium would come from the cemetery fund,” Hayes said. “This would not cost the city a penny.”
Hayes told the council the plan has been considered due to the growing number of cremations throughout the area.
“There has been a great increase in cremations in the last few years,” Hayes said. “There are no religions in our area opposed to cremations. We can see a tremendous need for this in the future since we are coming to the end of available plots at the cemetery.”
In the most recent phase of plots made available for traditional burials, Hayes told the council 384 plots were opened for sale.
“Right now, we only have 264 of those spaces available,” Hayes said. “In the next 20 to 12 years, the cemetery will be full. People being cremated taking up a plot is just not feasible to where we want to be.”
City Clerk John Angel presented logistics of the proposed columbarium with a projected budget capped at $60,000.
“The columbarium we are looking at will be eight feet wide and about seven and half feet tall, not including a statue on the top,” Angel said. “We would include a four-foot walk around the columbarium and would also do some landscaping. The cost is not to exceed a $60,000 budget. The unit could take up to five months to get considering construction and delivery.”
Council members unanimously approved the project allowing the development of a plan.