Cemetery Commission

BAXTER CEMETERY COMMISSION MINUTES Tuesday, May 31, 2023 at 4:00 PM “A Growing Community” Baxter City Hall, 13190 Memorywood Drive, Baxter, MN CALL TO ORDER The quarterly meeting of the Baxter Cemetery Commission was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Chair Jeanette Ruff. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Robert Bradford, John Cremers, Robert Ehrich and Chair Jeanette Ruff. MEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor Darrel Olson. STAFF PRESENT: Public Works Director/City Engineer Trevor Walter, and Administrative Assistant Mary Haugen. OTHERS PRESENT: None. CONSENT AGENDA None. NEW BUSINESS 1. Approve the Revised Baxter City Cemetery Regulations The 2014 Baxter City Cemetery Regulations were revised to incorporate the addition of the columbarium. Commissioner Cremers inquired if the columbarium included an ossuary. Ms. Haugen stated the columbarium did not contain an ossuary. Commissioner Cremers inquired on how many units were available for purchase. Ms. Haugen explained the columbarium has 32 niches on each side of the columbarium for a total of 64 niches. Each 11.5”x11.5”x 11.5” niche can hold two (2) standard 8x5x3 cremation boxes unless they are placed in a specialty urn. Commissioner Cremers inquired on the perpetual care fund. Ms. Haugen explained that 50% of the proceeds from the burial site are placed into this fund. This fund is then used for repair and general maintenance of the cemetery grounds, which include landscaping and lawn care during the growing season. Perpetual care is only a one-time charge included in the purchase of the grave site or niche. Public Works Director/City Engineer Walter stated that the City has been subsidizing the cemetery from the general fund, since the operating budget for the cemetery is $15,900.00 for 2023. The Parks & Trails Department does the weekly maintenance on the cemetery and those funds do come out of the Parks & Trails operating budget. 5/23/2023 Cemetery Commission Minutes Page 2 MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Ehrich to approve the revised Baxter City Cemetery Regulations. Motion carried unanimously. 2. 2023 Burial Fees The commission reviewed the current fee for the ground burials which has been set at $600.00 since 2010. Currently the fees are set with one half to go to perpetual care, one quarter to the current operating budget and one quarter to capital fund for proposed cemetery improvements. Ms. Haugen will make an effort to notify currently reserved lot parties. The reserved lot owners will have 30 days from council approval to pay the $600.00 rate. MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Bradford to approve increasing the cemetery grave site pricing to $900.00 and to set in motion an effort to notify currently reserved lot parties a 30-day notice to pay the current rate of $600.00. Motion carried unanimously. The commission reviewed the 2023 rates for local cemeteries for ground burials and columbaria. Rate ranged from $600.00 to $1,000.00 for ground burials and $1,200.00 to $1,800.00 for columbaria. Public Works Director/City Engineer Walter led the discussion on the columbarium final cost and suggested niche rate submitted by Finance Director Vacinek. The capitalized cost for the columbarium project is listed below: Columbarium $57,018.00 Bronze Niche ($249.00 each – 64 at 2023 rate $15,936.00 $72,954.00 Total Columbarium Cost (rounded for portion of holding costs) $75,000.00 Annual Operating Fund ($300.00 per niche) $19,200.00 $94,200.00 50% Perpetual Care Funding $94,200.00 Total Revenues Necessary to Fund Columbarium $188,400.00 Average 2023 rate per niche $2,944.00 Commissioner Cremers inquired on the payback period of the columbarium. Finance Director Vacinek had not set a payback period, the fees would be paid back with the sale of all 64 niches at a 1% nominal interest rate. MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Bradford to approve the columbarium niche rate at $3,000.00 per niche. Motion carried unanimously. UPDATES 3. 2023 Meeting Schedule The 2023 meeting schedule has been set for the following times:  Tuesday, August 29th at 4:00 p.m.  Tuesday, October 24th at 4:00 p.m. 5/23/2023 Cemetery Commission Minutes Page 3 MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Ehrich to set the 2023 Meeting Schedule. Motion carried unanimously. The commission had previously discussed a dedication ceremony for the columbarium. The commission wanted to extend the invitation to the City Council to attend. MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Bradford to approve setting the dedication of the columbarium for Tuesday, June 26th at 6:00 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURN MOTION by Commissioner Cremers, seconded by Commissioner Bradford to adjourn the meeting at 5:00 p.m. Motion unanimously approved. Approved by: Respectfully submitted: _______________________ ___________________________ Jeanette Ruff Mary Haugen Chair Administrative Assistant