The Danville City Commission heard an update on June 23 that the 90-day public comment period for proposed cemetery rules ended last week and produced about 900 submissions for staff and the cemetery committee to review.
City Manager staff said the submissions were compiled into a spreadsheet and sent to the cemetery committee chair for review. The committee will meet and then return recommendations to the commission, with staff aiming to present a path forward at the end of July and a tentative workshop in August for a near-final draft.
The commission and staff repeatedly stressed that the process will be deliberate and community-focused. City Manager staff said the goal is to involve affected families and avoid surprise enforcement actions, adding that staff have contact information for commenters and intend to notify contributors about decisions that affect their family plots. Commissioner comments emphasized the importance of a respectful, methodical approach: “We want the cemetery to look nice, but we also want people to feel respected,” a commissioner said.
Committee members will review submissions in their regular meeting and then coordinate with staff on a consolidated recommendation. The city manager said there is currently no binding deadline; the priority is completing a correct, community-informed policy rather than rushing to meet an arbitrary timetable.
The commission indicated it will schedule a follow-up agenda item and a workshop to review a more complete draft so commissioners can provide focused feedback rather than rework a rough outline. Staff said they will provide email summaries and outreach to those who submitted comments so individuals know how the committee addressed their input.
Ending: The commission did not vote on a final rule at the June 23 meeting; the process remains in the public-comment review stage with committee work and a planned return to the commission in late July or August.