WINDSOR – Those wishing to be buried in Edgewood and Hillcrest cemeteries here will be paying more.

Thursday morning, the Windsor Board of Commissioners addressed the price of burial plots in the town because of an influx of regional purchases of the plots.

“We have been having a number of people from other areas coming here to buy plots because of the price,” Windsor Mayor Jim Hoggard said. “We want to keep prices fair for our citizens, but we have to address this issue.”

Burial plots in the town were selling for $150 for those who live in the town of Windsor and $250 for those outside of the corporate limits.

Town Administrator Allen Castelloe said the rates in Williamston, which was close to Windsor and had one of the more affordable rates, was $375 for in-town and $575 for those outside town.

Commissioner Cathy Wilson, who oversees the cemeteries as part of her duties, said research showed the average price of a burial plot in the country was $14,000.

Hoggard said he wanted to make sure the new prices were fair to citizens of the town. He said Edgewood currently has several plots available, but Hillcrest was beginning to fill up.

“We need to set prices that are affordable for our folks,” Castelloe said. “At the same time if they are so low that we are selling that many to those out of town and don’t have enough available for our citizens, we are not serving them that way either.”

Castelloe also brought up the issue of maintaining the two cemeteries, indicating an annual cost to the town of $40,000 while revenue from the burial plots each year was approximately $15,000.

The group looked at a price list that was compiled to give them data about burial lots.

According to the report, plots at Highland Memorial Garden in Hertford County were $700. The town of Ahoskie, Wilson said, had no plots available. Robersonville’s lots were $300 for those in town, $375 for those in the township and $500 for those out of town. Other area rates included Edenton ($650), Hamilton ($300), Gardens of Gethsemane in Rocky Mount ($1,090), Pinewood in Greenville ($900), Crest Lawn in Farmville ($750) and Laurel Memorial in Elizabeth City ($700).

Wilson made a motion to raise prices to $300 for those in the town of Windsor and $500 for those outside of town. Commissioner Lawrence Carter Jr. offered a second and the motion passed without objection. Commissioner Joe Alexander was excused early and did not vote.