Sherman Council approves higher West Hill Cemetery fees, first change since 2013

The Sherman City Council approved an ordinance on July 6 that raises the listed prices for grave spaces and burial services at the city-run West Hill Cemetery, the first comprehensive change to the cemetery's fee schedule since 2013, according to the meeting's agenda packet and the city's posted council video. Under the measure, a full grave space is listed at $1,200, up from $1,000.

The measure, Ordinance 6946, amends the sections of Sherman's cemetery code that govern grave-space prices and cemetery-service fees. A half space is listed at $700, up from $500, and the weekday charge to open and close a full space rises to $1,000 from $900, the packet shows. The ordinance also creates columbarium charges connected to the city's new columbarium facility, among them a $700 fee for a niche in any city-owned columbarium.

On the video Sherman posted from the meeting, the ordinance drew a motion and a second, the ayes were heard, no opposing votes were called, and the mayor announced that the motion carried.

City staff told the council the fee schedule had not had a comprehensive review since 2013. The primary staff memo tied the increases to higher spending since that year on labor, equipment, materials, maintenance and contracted services, and said the older fees no longer covered what the city pays to provide the services. The packet supports that rising-cost explanation; it does not include a separate inflation analysis.

West Hill Cemetery is operated by the City of Sherman, covers about 120 acres near central Sherman and dates to the late 19th century, according to the city's website. Sherman's code assigns the review of cemetery fees and charges to a five-member West Hill Cemetery Advisory Board, which advises the council on recommended changes. The council also acted on cemetery oversight last year, voting Aug. 18, 2025, to reform the Cemetery Committee; that record lists ayes from Teamann, Dobbs, Stevenson, Howeth, Holland and Barnett and no nays.

Posted rates from Gainesville and Denison provide regional context for the Sherman changes. Gainesville's Fairview Cemetery lists 2025-2026 adult weekday opening, closing and setup at $1,267 for residents and $1,583 for nonresidents, with space fees that include $1,841 for Division 27 Tier A and $1,646 for several other divisions. Denison's Fairview Cemetery lists an individual lot at $1,050 and a basic weekday casket burial service at $1,300, along with columbarium cremation packages that run from $850 to $1,900 depending on the niche.