A. All grave openings, closings, site preparation, interments, disinterments and exhumations (referred to in this section as “such actions”) will be performed in accordance with this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted under this chapter. All such actions shall be performed by and are the responsibility of the person who reserved the burial plot where such actions will take place. The city accepts no responsibility and shall not be held liable for the performance of any such actions, or any damages, claims, or lawsuits arising from or related in any way to such actions.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the city may, at its sole and exclusive discretion, perform such actions. If it does perform such actions, however, it accepts no responsibility and shall not be held liable for the performance of such actions, or any damages, claims, or lawsuits arising from or related in any way to such actions.

C. The city must be notified at least forty-eight (48) hours before any interment and up to one- (1-) week notice prior to any disinterment. Disinterments will be done at a time determined by the city clerk but only during the months of September and October.

D. It is unlawful to permit final disposition of a dead human body or fetus unless accompanied by a duly executed burial-transit permit issued by the state of Alaska, any other state in the union, or Canada. This permit must accompany the body until its final disposition and will then be retained in permanent records kept by the city. The process of cremation is itself considered final disposition. Cremated remains shall not require a burial-transit permit for interment in the cemetery.

E. No body shall be disinterred for removal to another cemetery without a permit issued by the State of Alaska Division of Vital Statistics. All other health and transportation requirements shall be fulfilled. A licensed mortician must be present at all disinterments and the family is responsible for hiring a licensed and insured contractor to perform the disinterment.

F. Prior to performing a disinterment, the city must receive written consent from the interment right owner or successor-in-interest and the person(s) who are lawfully authorized to control the final disposition of the human remains. The authorizing agents, in the order of priority, are as follows:

G. Whenever a body is being disinterred from the city cemetery, it shall be necessary to obtain the consent of the families of those burial plots which will be affected by the disinterment.

H. If consent to disinter cannot be obtained by the deceased’s authorizing agents or by the families whose burial lots will be affected by the disinterment, the human remains may only be disinterred by order of the district court.

I. Upon the disinterment of the deceased, the casket shall be wrapped in plastic so as to contain all fluids and prevent leakage. The casket shall remain wrapped throughout the entire transport process and may not be unwrapped until it has reached the new grave location. Once a casket has been removed from a city cemetery, it is the responsibility of those seeking the disinterment to ensure all contaminated soil surrounding the disinterred casket is collected and disposed of using locally and federally accepted hazardous materials disposal. A police escort shall be secured at least one (1) week in advance to escort the transport of the deceased from one gravesite to another.

J. Permits for interments into the Veterans Memorial Cemetery located within the Bethel Memorial Cemetery must be accompanied by a copy of the deceased’s DD214. If a copy of the DD214 is not readily available it is the responsibility of the family to prove without question the validity of the services by the deceased. [Ord. 13-21 § 2; Ord. 01-23 § 2.]