By JONATHON HOWARD
SINCE the official opening of the Stanthorpe Outdoor Burial Wall, there’s been a rush of interested buyers and it could soon warrant a secondary wall to be developed.
The burial wall in Stanthorpe was officially opened by Mayor Blundell on 30 June this year.
At the council meeting on 26 June, councillors resolved that the vaults in the outdoor burial wall would be sold at $7850.
The motion also included that for those people who had expressed an interest in the pre-purchase of a vault that they would have until 30 June, 2014, to pay a reduced rate of $4000 per vault. After this date the price would revert back to the higher amount.
According to council’s general meeting report, which was passed in during council’s July general meeting (31 July), under the current arrangements 85 people have been identified as “precommitment”, meaning that they have until 30 June, 2014, to pay the reduced rate of $4000.
Considering the burial wall incorporates 90 vaults that would mean the remaining five vaults would be sold at $7,850. As such, if council sold the balance of the remaining vaults at the reduced rate of $4000, then council would forgo $19,250 in possible revenue.
The report said council might also approve the development of a mirror image of the current design, however, it would not be built until 50 per cent of the vaults were purchased.
The proposal is similar to that of a subdivision, whereby the community could purchase a vault off the plan and when sufficient funds are obtained, building could commence. This would be based on the cost recovery rate of $7850 per vault.
