Ellen Hoffer is sworn in Thursday by city attorney Scott Reust for another term on the Oakwood Board of Regents. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents approved Thursday, Jan. 5, for sexton Hal Heagy to get quotes to update the main water line in the cemetery.

Leaks in the cemetery’s water lines have been a topic of discussion for several months. Heagy said about 85% of the cemetery was without water for most of the summer due to the leaks.

Thursday, he also added for 2022, the cemetery’s water bill was $3,708.94, which is $1,008.94 above average. He had three major leaks go into the cemetery office. One month, the water bill was $600 and another water bill was over $500 due to leaks.

Heagy said the lines are bad. There is no mapping for where the lines are and he has been trying to map where the lines are when he has repaired them for leaks. Some of the lines are galvanized while others are plastic. There are no shut-offs and no way to control the system in 70% to 80% of the cemetery.

Heagy said wants to run a new line from Sheridan Street to the chapel and office.

To repair all of the water lines in the cemetery, Heagy said, would be too expensive. The leaks are predominately in the older part of the cemetery, where the water has been shut off. Water would be kept off while the newer section, the east section, would still have water.

He wants to put a couple hydrants and a filling station on that line so people can use water from the filling station in other parts of the cemetery in order to water flowers and other purposes.

Heagy said he doesn’t know if the work will get done this year.

In other business:

• Ellen Hoffer was sworn in for another four-year term by city attorney Scott Reust.

• The board learned the 2022 leaf season saw 98 loads removed from the cemetery.

They also heard four loads of wood were given away in November and six in December.

• Heagy said new heaters were added to the main shop and the storage building.