After decades of financial losses, the City of Sonoma finally hires a professional Cemetery Fund Manager
After decades of deficits, subsidies, uneven management and a blistering report issued in 2023 by the Sonoma County Grand Jury, an experienced cemetery operations professional has been hired to run the City of Sonoma’s Cemetery Enterprise Fund.
Carolyn Fulton, with two decades of experience in cemetery management, served as General Manager at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma and has an extensive background in high-level management, administration, and technical oversight.
The city operates three cemetery sites within the Cemetery Enterprise Fund. Enterprise Funds are essentially businesses operated by the city; the Water Enterprise Fund, commonly called the Water Department, is another. Enterprise Funds are intended to be self-supporting operations, with revenues that cover expenses and future capital projects.
Unfortunately, the city’s cemeteries have historically been a drain on the city’s General Fund, requiring subsidies – loans – in order to survive financially. Management has been spotty over the years, switching from one staff employee to another, none of whom had any professional cemetery management experience, or in nearly all cases, any business experience whatsoever.
Some twenty years ago, the Cemetery Fund had accumulated over $500,000 in subsidies from the General Fund, reflected in the General Fund’s Balance Sheet as an outstanding note receivable. The city’s outside auditor at the time insisted that the receivable be “written off” as uncollectible, and the General Fund assets suddenly became $500,000 smaller. A similar situation exists today, and the General Fund, already in a deficit position, has once again found itself holding a sizeable note receivable it most likely will never be able to collect.
Things came to head in 2023, just after David Guhin was hired as City Manager. The Sonoma County Grand Jury issued a report condemning the city’s poor management of the Cemetery Fund. It noted poor business practices and sloppiness, such as buying funeral urns for cremains and through inattention selling them below the city’s cost.
At the time, Guhin conceded that prior to his hiring, the fund had indeed been poorly managed, and the City Council agreed with him for the need to recruit and hire properly experienced management. A recommendation that the city do so had been part of a successive number of consultant reports about cemetery operations over the years but had never been done. The city has spent tens of thousands of dollars on consultants, who have made a variety of recommendations; none were implemented, however.
The cemeteries are a celebrated part of the City of Sonoma, as noted in a press release announcing Fulton’s hiring. “Mountain Cemetery, in particular, holds historical significance as one of the oldest continually operated cemeteries in the western United States. It is the final resting place of notable figures such as Captain H.E. Boyes, George Fetters, Franklin Sears, two Donner Party survivors, and possibly even a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, Captain William Smith of Flowerdew Hundred, Virginia.”
David Guhin, expressed his enthusiasm for Carolyn’s appointment, stating, “We are excited to add this key position to address the ongoing needs and development of our City’s cemeteries. With Carolyn’s expertise, we are confident that these sacred grounds will continue to be a source of solace, respect, and reflection for generations to come.”
Carolyn will officially begin her role as Cemeteries Manager on Monday, July 1st, with an annual salary of $109,127. She lives in Petaluma with her husband and enjoys hiking, dance, traveling, and photography. Her appointment marks a significant step in the City’s efforts to preserve and enhance its cemeteries, ensuring they remain integral parts of the community’s heritage and history.
Carolyn Fulton shared her excitement about joining the City of Sonoma, saying, “I am thrilled about the opportunity to bring my expertise to oversee the operations of Mountain Cemetery, Valley Cemetery, and Veterans’ Cemetery. The City’s commitment to excellence and community service resonates with my own values. I look forward to enhancing the operations of the cemeteries, implementing strategic initiatives, and ensuring the highest standards of service for the residents.”
— Report by Larry Barnett
