There are more than 380 acres of grounds within the five municipal cemeteries. The grounds are managed as parks and consistently achieve near-excellent appearance ratings. The cemeteries are evaluated monthly and “excellent” appearance ratings are achieved when grass is less than 3 inches, smooth and neat, new growth is cut back around structures, shrubbery is well groomed and neat, wild growth is cut back to ground level and no leaves are present. To achieve near excellent ratings, the cemeteries are maintained on a year-round 14-day cycle. The primary focus during the growing season is cutting and trimming of turf and the primary focus during the dormant season is leaf and debris removal. Additionally, trees and shrubs on the public rights-of-way are installed, maintained, and removed, storm debris is removed, azaleas are trimmed, weeds and wild growth are removed, and special maintenance is performed as required.

Some of the more routine maintenance activities have been outsourced in recent years allowing staff to increase attention on high-profile entrances and general areas, improving visitors’ first impressions. The department also uses temporary labor, community service workers, and volunteers when available. Partnerships with local community groups have proved very valuable for the organization. An effective combination of public, private and non-profit service providers is utilized to continually improve the level of service. Although the appearance ratings cannot get much higher, the department will continue to provide positive impressions for more than 700,000 visitors annually.