NATCHEZ — Dying in Natchez may soon be a little more expensive — at least if you want be buried in the Natchez City Cemetery.

The city cemetery raised its fees in March, but Mayor Butch Brown said the City of Natchez is “encouraging” the cemetery association to once again raise fees.

The city will be increasing its annual appropriation to the cemetery from $39,600 to $72,000.

Cemetery Director Danny Brown said the cemetery has had financial troubles for several years. In the last three to four years, Danny Brown has laid off one person and not replaced another who retired.

“That saved the cemetery right at $60,000 in payroll costs,” he said.

Brown will be letting his seasonal help go two months early this summer to save money.

“That’s going to significantly reduce our productivity for cutting grass,” he said.

Brown said he would like to get inmate labor to cut grass and help maintain the cemetery. But that, he said, would involve going to Jefferson or Wilkinson counties to pick up inmates. Adams County has a limited amount of inmates in the trusty program that allows them to work outside.

Natchez City Cemetery Association Treasurer Nancy Kimbrell said the association raised fees in March to better align the fees with other cemeteries.

“Right now, I think we’re in line with Greenlawn,” she said, referring to a cemetery in the Morgantown area of Adams County. “But if the city tells us to raise the fees again, we will raise them.”

Lot prices increased in March from $2,000 to $2,400 for a historic area, $800 to $900 for Catholic Hill, $1,500 to $1,750 for McPherson, Brown and Hospital sections and from $375 to $500 for the infant section.

Burial fees increased from $500 to $625 for a casket or vault for a city resident, $550 to $725 for a non-resident, $200 to $350 surcharge for a weekend or holiday after 3 p.m., $300 to $325 for infants and cremations, $50 to $150 for pets and $100 to $150 for dual burial in a grave.

The cemetery has approximately 500 spaces left, and a new bluff plot will have approximately 750 spaces and open in early 2014.

Butch Brown said spaces in the city cemetery are prime real estate.

“Greenlawn and other cemeteries have plenty of room, and these sites in the city cemetery are choice sites and limited space is available, so I think you base it on supply and demand,” he said.