By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — One of the big issues Oakwood Cemetery is looking at is water pipe leaks, Oakwood Cemetery Sexton Hal Heagy told the Board of Regents Thursday, Aug. 4.

He said the cemetery has a new leak, which is the fourth one this year.

The leak is coming from a 1-1/2-inch water line that Heagy said he will have to get someone to fix since Heagy doesn’t have the equipment to fix that size of a line. The line is about 4 or 5 feet down in the ground.

Board member Dave Baumgartner asked where the leak was. Heagy said it was near the road by American Legion Circle #1.

The water pipe is made of newer plastic, and some roots punctured it.

The water lines have been a concern for many years, Heagy said. The cemetery has plastic, galvanized “and not so good plastic” water pipes.

Heagy explained the cemetery needs water for things like watering graves.

Councilman Jerry Frush asked if the cemetery got water from Indiana Water Company. Heagy said they did. Frush asked what the problem would be of pumping water out of the lake for the cemetery. Heagy said he’d still have a leak problem. Heagy would also be concerned about someone drinking the lake water since cemetery employees carry around thermoses and take water out of taps on the cemetery property.
Heagy said he just wanted to make the Board aware of the leak issue, and the topic might come up again for discussion.

Heagy also said he will go in front of the Warsaw City Council Aug. 15 to present the cemetery’s 2023 budget.
He presented the Board the proposed 2023 budget, which the Board approved.

The total budget estimate for 2023 is $860,377. It is a 20.5% increase from the 2022 budget of $714,167.
The budget includes $411,435 for salaries and wages; $240,655 for employee benefits; supplies, $58,000; other services and charges, $8,340; insurance, $20,572; utility services, $17,425; repairs and maintenance, $25,700; rentals, $6,800; other services and charges, $3,450; and capitol outlays, $68,000.

In other business, the Board:

• Heard from Baumgartner saying he visited the cemetery and got a tour from Heagy. Baumgartner said the cemetery looks amazing and he was proud to be part of the Board.
• Learned from Heagy that 109 lots were added to Cremation Garden #3.
• Learned the city is changing its mapping software from G.I.S. to Elements. Heagy said everyone who is buried at Oakwood is mapped and that information is uploaded to Beacon.

Heagy said when he knows more about changing the mapping software, he will let the Board know.