The Sweet Home Cemetery District is logging a strip of land along the city limits, at the north end of Gilliland Cemetery, to raise money to purchase new land for future expansion.
The logging, which has prompted some complaints from city residents who border the cemetery, will raise over $45,000, according to District Supervisor Harland Smith.
Cemetery Board Mike Melcher is overseeing the logging operation, which is being done by a contractor, Smith said.
The money will be used to purchase two pieces of land, a 4.5-acre plot east of the cemetery, and a 1.3-acre plot just north of the cemetery entrance, along 50th Avenue. The land will be purchased from the Gibbs family, which owns land surrounding much of the cemetery.
Smith said the cemetery is currently irrigating 24 acres of lawn and has another 9.8-acre strip it does not irrigate that can be added to the working cemetery in the future.
He said the existing area is expected to last for 49 years, after which the new parcels will be developed.
“We’ll need the additional ground if the Good Lord says we’re going to be here after 49 more years,” Smith said.
He said that another 80 acres of Gibbs property is up for sale “and if that sells, we probably won’t be able to buy any more ground.”
Smith said some trees, which are not as suitable for lumber, will be left, and the logging is including some “danger” trees near homes.
He said some along the cemetery driveway will be left and the logged area will be replanted eventually.
“I’m planning to retire in three or four years,” Smith said. “(The board) is planning for the future. They want to leave the next grave digger after me room to do business.”