Fairview Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting

City of Bastrop Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting December 5, 2012 4:00 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers 1311 Chestnut Street Bastrop, Texas 78602 I. Call to Order. Chair Terry Sanders called the meeting to order at 3:58p.m. Board members in attendance were Carl Spooner, Ted Schaefer, Mary Williams and Jerry Woehl. Board member Joel Reed was not present. Staff members attending were Karla Stovall, Tracy Waldron and Zana Jones. II. Announcements. Karla Stovall announced that on Monday, December 3, 2012, a City employee’s purse was stolen from their vehicle while marking a gravesite in the eastern most side of Block 8 in the Cemetery. The employee heard a noise and saw a person wearing blue running towards the east in the adjacent fenced property. The police were called and report taken. Karla also announced that several weeks prior to this incident, Public Works staff that was working on a project in the Cemetery had encountered a man walking in the same area. The employees started following him and he disappeared from their site. Terry Sanders announced that he will contact Mr. Rudy Martinez who he feels has the property leased to see if he is aware of anyone living in that area. III. Discussion and possible action on the Cemetery Advisory Board’s August 23, 2012 minutes. (pages 1-3) Jerry Woehl moved to approve the August 23, 2012 minutes as written, seconded by Ted Schaefer and carried unanimously. IV. Discussion and possible action on updates regarding the Memorial Section. Karla Stovall advised that she presented the Boards recommendations for development and operation of the Memorial Section in a meeting with City Manager Mike Talbot and the City’s Attorney J.C. Brown. Karla stated that Ms. Brown is very knowledgeable on Memorial Sections and performing historical research and that Ms. Brown identified additional details for the parameters that would need to be considered and/or included in establishing the Memorial Section as follows: A.) Documented evidence (ie. Family Bible, historical documents, obituary, newspaper clippings) would need to be presented to establish that the person to be memorialized was actually buried in the Cemetery. B.) Requests for placing a memorial must be reviewed quarterly by the Cemetery Advisory Board and approved by the City Manager at their direction. C.) Requests for placement of a memorial must be submitted by a direct relative of the person. Ms. Brown also advised that the City Council would need to approve the establishing of the Memorial Section. Karla will submit a memo with details regarding the Memorial Section to the City Manager, who will then present them to the City Council for a vote on whether or not to establish a Memorial Section within the Cemetery. V. Discussion and possible action on report back from City Manager Mike Talbot regarding the appraisal of two tracks of land along State Highway 95 that adjoin cemetery properties on which he is in negotiations with the owner; and as to whether he identified properties for sale on the north side of Cedar Street. Item was tabled at the July 26, 2012 meeting.  Karla Stovall asked if the Board was still interested in purchasing additional properties. Chair Terry Sanders and Carl Spooner both responded “Yes, with the right price.” Chair Sanders asked that the City make an offer to the owners of the properties located on the west side of the Cemetery along Highway 95 to see if they will accept. Karla advised that she is pretty sure that the City has already had the property appraised. Chair Sanders and Jerry Woehl asked that both properties in that area be appraised if not already done. Carl Spooner voiced his concerns that if the City does not go ahead and pursue trying to purchase these additional properties that someone else will. He also noted that there can be no additional driveway entrances built along that portion of Highway 95. She asked if the Board would like to table the discussion until the next scheduled meeting. Chair Sanders would like the City to make an offer on the property with the house even it is currently rented. Jerry Woehl stated that he felt it would be more feasible to get an appraisal of the properties and make an offer instead of tabling the discussion until the next meeting. Jerry Woehl made a motion to remove Item V from the agenda, seconded by Mary Williams and carried unanimously. Jerry Woehl then made a motion for the City to have the properties appraised and make an offer to purchase, seconded by Mary Williams and carried unanimously. VI. Public Comment. [ Note: By law, the Board cannot include undertake discussion or take any action on Public Comments received at the meeting, but can: (1) recite Board/City policy on the points raised and/or (2) place items on upcoming agenda for both discussion and action at that upcoming meeting.] There were no public comments. VII. Discussion and possible action on setting dates and times for next Cemetery Advisory Board meeting(s). The next meeting was set for March 28, 2013 at 4:00p.m. VIII. Discussion and possible action to determine if there are any items a Board Member would like to place on an upcoming Agenda. Carl Spooner asked if there is a chemical that Public Works could apply to kill the cane that is growing on the hillside in the Historical Section as well as along the fence row. Karla Stovall will discuss this with the Public Works Director and submit a work order. Jerry Woehl noted that there were street signs in the Cemetery that were leaning that need to be straightened and painted. Karla will include this in her discussion and work order for Public Works. Jerry Woehl and Ted Schaefer noted that the police officer(s) that open the Cemetery gates in the morning are not always securing them into the restraint and were concerned that the gates could cause damage to someone’s vehicle. Karla will address this with the Chief of Police. Ted Schaefer mentioned that the roads along the south side of the Cemetery are eroding and will need repair in the future. Karla will include this in her discussion with the Public Works Director. Jerry Woehl asked for clarification on when his term on the Board expires. Karla Stovall invited City Secretary Teresa Valdez to explain the term lengths of which she provided the following: Place 1 - Ted Schaefer, 2 year term ending in 2014; Place 2 - Mary Williams, 2 year term ending in 2014; Place 3 - Carl Spooner, 3 year term ending in 2015; Place 4 - Terry Sanders, 3 year term ending in 2015; Place 5 - Jerry Woehl, 1 year term ending in 2013; Place 6 - Joel Reed, 1 year term ending in 2013. Ms. Valdez explained to the Board that after the places that are currently for one and two year terms end, all future term lengths will be for three year periods. Mr. Woehl asked if would be able to reapply for appointment after his term ends. Ms. Valdez explained that he would be able to reapply by submitting his request to the Mayor.  IX. Adjourn. Carl Spooner moved to adjourn the meeting at 4:40p.m., seconded by Mary Williams and carried unanimously. APPROVED: ATTESTED: __________________________________ __________________________________ Terry Sanders, Chairperson Mary Williams, Secretary