Trustees review columbarium examples but find costs high for Brentwood

Brentwood Cemetery Trustees reviewed columbarium and cremation-garden examples from neighboring towns and concluded typical installation and niche prices are likely beyond the town’s near-term plans.

Speaker 2 described recent installations: ‘‘Laconia charges $900 for a single niche and $1,800 for a double; Concord’s was $2,700; Mount Hope in Bangor runs anywhere between $1,800 to $3,900,’’ providing trustees a range of market prices. Trustees noted the installations are visually appealing but may not align with Brentwood’s goal of providing burial space for town residents rather than operating a revenue-focused facility.

Trustees agreed to keep researching lower-cost options, examine local examples in Concord and Meredith, and invite Exeter’s superintendent (who manages a 150-grave cremation garden) to share layout and management lessons in spring. No formal procurement or contract award decisions were made at the meeting.