Clearwater Cemetery District

CLEARWATER CEMETERY DISTRICT Clearwater Cemetery District Board Meeting June 13, 2024 6:30 PM, City Hall 1. Call to Order Board Member Erwin called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call Burt Ussery, Clearwater Mayor and Tim Erwin, Ninnescah Township, David Loos, Ohio Township (on phone), were present. Others present: Courtney Zollinger, City Administrator, and Logan Mills, Certified Engineering Design, P.A. 3. Approval of Agenda MOTION: Ussery moved, Erwin seconded the motion to approve the agenda as presented. Voted and passed unanimously. 3-0 4. Consent Agenda a. 05-10-24 Minutes b. May Accounts Payable c. May Receipt Report d. April Payroll MOTION: Ussery moved, Erwin seconded the motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Voted and passed unanimously. 3-0 5. Reports  41% through the year. Revenues YTD are at 52.5% of the budget and expenditures are at 6.6%. If you don’t account for the “$400,000” reserve, expenditures are at 20.5%  Mike Weakley has been released from restrictions. He is still coordinating with Public Works for care and operations of the cemetery.  The storm on Sunday June 9th took out a tree in section 1 knocking over a headstone. Public Works will remove the tree and then we will contact CVI and Eck Monument about resetting the headstone. The lot affected was 16 (owned by Brice Hammers). We don’t know what is on the headstone at this time, but it is (was) an upright stone.  1 burial took place in May CLEARWATER CEMETERY DISTRICT 6. Business a. Future Cemetery Layout – Logan Mills with CED was present for the Board to talk about ideas for the development of the new north section of the Cemetery. The board came to a consensus on the following. 1. They do not want to move forward with the concrete layouts for caskets. 2. They plan to install columbarium’s in the new section toward the eastern property line. Start with one and have a layout for one or two more further north 3. Expand the northern road wider to allow for two-way traffic 4. Keep the sectioning smaller to allow for people to access plots easily. 5. Create approximately 6 “phases” for development 6. Place the location of a parking lot and shop near the newly widen road at the eastern end. 7. Make a spot for a new directory placement near the parking lot. L. Mills said for the new drawing it will cost approximately $2500. The cost for engineering design will need to be determined after a drawing has been approved. b. Budget Discussion/Action At the last meeting the Board asked C. Zollinger to obtain pricing to plant trees around the new northern section of the cemetery. Beverly Woods prepared a diagram that includes: Canaerti Juniper, Serviceberry, and Royal Raindrop Crabapple on the Northern and Eastern sides of the property to create a decorative screen to the residential properties that are adjoined by property lines. (about $25,000 – includes installation) On the Western side of the property (roadside) she prepared a quote that includes Eastern Red Cedar to match the existing trees along the roadside in the older section of the Cemetery. (about $30,000 – includes installation) Bev also quoted planting the Eastern Red Cedar along the roadside in front of the 3rd addition (Section4, 5, 6, & 7) to complete the look (about $19,000 – includes installation) Total tree price with installation is around $74,000 The Board discussed and decided that trees were important but would like a quote on putting up a fence before they move forward with trees. The board believes they will want to move forward with installing a chain-link fence on the north and east side and a wrought iron fence on the west side to match the existing ones using a portion of the $400,000 carried over for future development. The wrought iron fence should have 3 gates. CLEARWATER CEMETERY DISTRICT Zollinger then went into explain the timeline and the proposed budget. The annual meeting with the Sedgwick County Clerk has been scheduled for Friday June 28, 2024, at 10am for the Clearwater Cemetery District. The Board will need to come to a consensus whether to exceed or not exceed the RNR at the June 13th meeting, so your representative knows what to do at the meeting with the County Clerk. The Notice whether to exceed the RNR or not must officially be sent in to the Clerk by July 20th. The assessed valuation has been received and the Cemetery’s valuation increased a little over $6 million. 1 mill is now equivalent to $54,429. The RNR mill levy is 2.637 Current 2024 mill levy is 3.032 REVENUES I have reviewed the revenues for the Cemetery and estimate with charges for services, lot sales, rent and interest the District will receive $65,868. PERSONNEL EXPENSES o This year the hourly wage was voted to change for the Sexton and any other “year-round” person to $21.00 and seasonal mowers to $15.00.  The full time Sexton is figured with 1700 hours annually  The year-round part-time person is figured with 750 hours annually  Both seasonal workers are figured with 250 hours each for the year. o A 3% increase in all wages is factored into the 2025 budget workbook. o Board members are still factored into the salaries for the 2025 budget.  Board members can receive - $1,000 annually (no increase budgeted)  Chairman can receive - $1,200 annually (no increase budgeted) o BUDGET TOTAL = $71,318.50 - that includes also taxes and work comp. An increase of $13,919 or $19.52% over 2024 SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS o Continued with run rates for supplies and materials. The history on this is still be captured since most items were lumped together prior to 2022. o BUDGET TOTAL - $9,455. An increase of $1,205 or 12.74% CONTRACTUAL o Continued contract for spraying for weeds, tree trimming and city services o There is nothing added for attorney at this time since the conversation about disorganization has been tabled. o Added in $20,000 for engineering to set aside funds for design work for future cemetery. Don’t have an actual quote yet. CLEARWATER CEMETERY DISTRICT o BUDGET TOTAL - $71,030. A decrease of ($3,181.00 or -4.48%) CAPITAL OUTLAY o Added in $75,000 for tree planting o Added in $75,000 for columbaria installation (no quote yet) o Included $5,000 for discretionary use for the Board o Recommend reducing the “reserve” from $400,000 to $283,700 so not to exceed the RNR  The reduction is due to the added engineering fee and the capital outlay that was not in 2024. o BUDGET TOTAL - $426,000. A decrease of ($11,283 or -2.57%) EQUIPMENT RESERVE o Per K.S.A. 17-1336a the Cemetery may transfer funds into equipment reserve to purchase equipment to maintain the cemetery. I am recommending adding $30,000 to go towards a truck when the time comes. There is a current balance of $20,000 that will cover the cost of at least 1 mower. o The Cemetery district is not given the authority to transfer money into an equipment reserve for the development of a cemetery that I could find. o BUDGET TOTAL - $30,000. A 100% increase from 2024. PROPOSAL IS STAY RNR NUETRAL TOTAL PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET = $620,503.50 TOTOAL PROPOSED MILL LEVY = 2.637 The board discussed the cemetery truck and voiced concerns on when it will need to be replaced. Zollinger informed them that there is $45,000 in the budget this year and a proposed $30,000 next year for a truck. She recommended if the $45,000 isn’t used this year to place it in a reserve account and add an additional $30,000 next year. The board agreed. Zollinger explained if a portion of the $400,000 in the 2024 budget was used in 2024 then the 2025 budget line item “reserve” would drop from $283,700 if the Board wanted to stay within the Revenue Neutral Rate. The board decided they will stay withing the RNR for 2025 and utilize the funds to expand the new cemetery. They will reevaluate during the 2026 budget if they will have enough funds to complete their project. MOTION: Ussery moved, Loos seconded not exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate. Voted and passed unanimously. 3-0 c. Other Business – no other business CLEARWATER CEMETERY DISTRICT 7. Executive Session – no executive session 8. Comments – No comments 9. Adjournment With there being no further business MOTION: Erwin moved, Ussery seconded to adjourn the meeting. Voted and passed unanimously. 3-0 Meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m.