Cemeteries

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Authority Relating to Cemetery Operations

The City of Hobbs shall have the right to take any necessary action to maintain a uniform and attractive cemetery per NMSA Chapter 3, Article 40 (1978 comp.), Municipal Cemeteries.

The City retains the right to exercise strict and exclusive supervision, management and control over the care and maintenance of said cemetery and including the land conveyed through deed.

The City retains and reserves the right to formulate and enforce reasonable and necessary rules and regulations as to maintenance, the employment of a sexton or sextons, and other necessary employees for the care and maintenance of said cemetery and the land conveyed through deed.

The City retains and reserves the exclusive right to prescribe and enforce reasonable rules and regulations as to landscaping, planting of grass, shrubs and trees, size and height of grave markers and monuments, the locations and spacing of graves, and the manner of burials within said cemetery and within and upon the land conveyed through deed.

All regulations not specifically set out in these Rules and Regulations regarding the use of and policies regarding the four (4) municipally owned cemeteries shall be at the discretion of the Parks Director, subject to the approval of the City Manager (Section 9-8 Hobbs City Code).

City Responsibilities

• Show property for sale
• Determine/approve time of service.
• Prepare and cover interment site with earth. (Funeral homes are responsible for securing set-up for funeral services.)
• Maintain grounds.

Cemetery Property - Acquisition

• Interment lots are available at Prairie Haven and Prairie Haven Memorial Park Cemeteries. Limited interment lots are available at Prairie Haven Cemetery in the Veteran and Infant Sections only. No sales shall occur for Boone or Everglades. The City of Hobbs will make every effort to honor presented deeds for Boone or Everglades. The City of Hobbs reserves the right to offer property in Prairie Haven Cemetery or Prairie Haven Memorial Park in exchange for presented legal deeds for those cemeteries of limited and inaccurate records.

• It shall be recognized that the sale of lots is primarily for burial purposes. Lots will not be sold for the burial of pets or establishing a monument to express or advertise an individual or group's opinion, stance, view point, or platform.

• Lot Selection Procedure - Individuals seeking to purchase lots for either immediate interment or "pre-need" shall contact the Parks Superintendent or designated cemetery staff during normal business hours. Emergency lot selection may be made on Saturdays or exempt holidays upon notification and arrangements made by a verifiable Funeral Director. Cemetery staff will direct individuals to allow viewing of open sections. Upon selection of lot(s), verification of availability must be made by cemetery staff through the City Clerk.

• Payment Procedures - Fee payments may be made to the City Clerk at City Hall, 200 E. Broadway, or to Cemetery staff at Prairie Haven Memorial Park Cemetery. Accounts receivable contracts may be established by the City Clerk or Cemetery staff to purchase pre-need lots by means of a monthly payment schedule. A minimum deposit of 25% per lot is required. The remaining balance may be paid out over six (6) months from the contract date in equal monthly installment amounts. No deeds will be issued or interments performed until total purchase price is paid.

• Repurchase - The City of Hobbs will repurchase property from the lot owners for the original purchase price less a $10 documentation and filing fee. Lot owners must submit the original deed or accurate documentation establishing ownership to the City Clerk prior to processing of refund. Deeds are non-transferrable.

Interment Procedures

• Scheduling shall be made by the Funeral Director during business hours with a minimum 24 hour notice.

• Interment times must be verified by the Funeral Director with cemetery staff prior to final arrangement with the family.

• Processional police escort scheduling is the responsibility of the Funeral Director.

• Casket liners or vaults are required for interment at all City cemeteries and shall be placed by personnel contracted by the funeral homes. In emergency situations and at the discretion of the Parks Superintendent, assistance may be provided in the placement and handling of casket liners and vaults.

• All casket liners or vaults must be specifically designed and manufactured for the burial industry. Specifications of the construction of any liner or vault used in City of Hobbs cemeteries is subject to the approval of the Parks Superintendent.

• Closing procedure of the interment site will not begin until the public has departed the immediate area.

• City personnel have the authority to require that all bystanders vacate the immediate area before beginning the closing process due to safety and liability concerns.

• No vehicular traffic allowed on any cemetery property other than specified roadways.

• Cemetery staff will provide any and all planting and maintenance of vegetation on cemetery grounds unless otherwise appropriately approved by the Parks Superintendent.

• Florals set on new burials will remain for at least 48 hours.

Disintermet Procedures

• All disinterments must be scheduled through a licensed Funeral Director.

• All disinterment scheduling is subject to other scheduling and must be flexible. All scheduling will be handled with office personnel.

• Funeral Directors must acquire a permit for disinterment and re-interment as issued by the state registrar, if required, and verified by cemetery staff.

• The City cannot be liable for the condition of remains or the methods by which they are retrieved. Cemetery employees are not to come in contact with the deceased in any matter. Cemetery employees are to unearth the ground and pull up casket and/or vault only. Employees may help put remaining casket and/or vault on a trailer for hauling purposes only.

• Funeral Directors shall be present at disinterments and are responsible for the removal of all remains (casket, vault, and deceased).

Monuments and Foundations

• The City of Hobbs shall designate basic specifications of monuments according to the location of lot(s). See sections on each particular cemetery for direct specifications.

• Monuments cannot be placed on lots until lots are paid for in full.

• Cleaning, repair, and other care is the responsibility of the relations of the deceased. Cemetery staff will not provide maintenance to monuments.

• The City of Hobbs reserves the right to temporarily move any monument in order to meet interment responsibilities or to permanently move any monument that is encroaching on other property, set without issuance of a permit or fails to conform to specifications herein established.

• Monument Permit Fees - All monument permit fees must be paid prior to the beginning of any work to set a monument.

• Permits are obtained from the Cemetery Secretary or Superintendent

• All applicable entities to perform any work relating to monuments or foundations must sign in at the Chapel Office with either the Cemetery Secretary or Superintendent before the commencement of any work.

• Monuments must be set during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, with permits verified by cemetery staff.

• All monuments must have concrete foundations that conform to the size specifications of the particular location at which they will be set.

• Temporary markers will be removed and discarded when permanent markers are set.

• A final inspection by the Parks Superintendent or authorized staff will be conducted prior to approval and issuance of permits.

• Purchase of vases with a slender base, preferably square, should be avoided as they are easily broken by elements and vandals.

• The City of Hobbs is not responsible for any damages that may occur to any monument from vandals, the elements, or other causes beyond its control.

• Foot stones, curbs, ledger, copings, or any other form of barrier or property edging is prohibited.