Trustees of Public Burial Grounds

City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts 115 Mt. Elam Road Fitchburg, MA 01420 Office: 978-345-9578 FAX: 978-345-9686 www.fitchburgma.gov CEMETERY TRUSTEE BOARD MEETING MINUTES Thursday, February 26, 2015 Call to Order: Chairman Philip Jordan called the February 26, 2015 meeting to order at 9:00 am Trustee Members Present: Philip Jordan, Donna Coco, Joe Coco and Diane Ouellette Trustee Members Absent: None – Looking for replacement for Rodney Gaudreau Minutes of the Meeting: A motion made by, seconded by to accept the minutes from November 20, 2014. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Oral Requests from Audience: None Cemetery Department Report: Report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill - SNOW PLOWING & REMOVAL - General maintenance, rubbish collection - Cleaned, serviced and stored leaf blowers and lawn mowers - Cleaned mausoleum - Organized and cleaned garage - Installed flooring in garage - Insulated garage ceiling - Worked on electric in garage - Prepared warming blanket with propane for winter burials - Installed Veterans markers - Tree & limb cutting - Filled sunken graves - (19) Funerals since last meeting – Please note winter burials can take up to 3 days to prepare much more time consuming with snow removal, and frost Laurel Hill - General clean up for winter - Repaired gate - Diane Ouellette letter – concern sledding South Street/West Street & Dean Hill - General clean up for winter - Tree & limb cutting Cemetery Staff - 1 full-time workers; 1 full time parks employee, 1 DPW employee as needed - Disabled list 1 SMEO and 1 LMEO - 1 Student in Transition -2 half days; - 1 Superintendent - Prisoners and Community Service when available Administration - Revolving Account – Balance $ 63,465.21 (last report on 11.20.2014 balance $ 61,578.21) - Applied for Veterans markers in Washington - Consult with grieving families - Working with Trustees on Rules and Regulations - Sales - graves, veterans’ foundations, veterans’ flag holder, brick, cremated remains table rental, columbarium - Genealogical searches - Reconciled budgets - End of Year reports - Website –web testing with programmer – new search page up at http://fitchburgcemetery.com/SearchListNew.aspx - added a box with instruction above the search boxes, fixing the date searches, updating links from the rest of the site to point to the new page – currently not updated from city website - Working on gathering information on cemetery software - Met with columbarium vendor and Superintendent of Streets on foundation specs - Columbarium Expansion- Bid awarded to Hardy Doric Inc. for the price of $ 18, 860.00 – waiting for spring – DPW will be working with cemetery for installation - Put training program together for all cemeteries in this area to be held March 5, 2015 @ 8:00am to be held at Coggshall Stonehouse. - Held a team meeting- went over processes, discussed area meeting with other cemeteries, and cemetery goals and needs for coming year - Attending DPW managers meeting - Attended the Mayors manager’s meeting - Attended New England Cemetery Association seminar - When weather permits, a water sample will be taken in the columbaria area – this is to try to identify the source of the high ground water - In the Spring will be working with expansion of section D along Electric Ave – DPW will help with grading and Engineering will help with layout. - New tires and plow for JCB backhoe - Sent out end-of-year letters to all local funeral providers with rules, new adopt-a-veteran program and 2015 holiday schedule - Coordinating with Superintendent of Streets on vehicle maintenance schedule - Mapped out existing water line - Worked with Chief Roy – arranged to use old fire hose on grave warmer - Working with State and Police department on title for cemetery car - Discussed damage to chain link fence on Rollstone St with DPW Commissioner - Helped with grave preparation on grounds Fence damage Forest Hill on Rollstone Road – will be inspected in the spring – Gary Withington seems to think there is not much damage. Joe Coco and would like to ensure that the snow is not blown into the cemetery in the future. Trustees would like second sand pit at Forest Hill on Cherry Avenue eliminated, only one sand pit needed. Laurel Hill – sledding – Diane Ouellette concerned about stone damage to the lower part on Laurel St. side of cemetery - left of old office. Trustee will add no sledding to the Rules and Regulations. Trustees would like to close cemetery for the winter months, and post a new sign. Lenny Laakso will check with John Barrett, City Solicitor for the next meeting. Old Business: Mausoleum Roof Update –bids documents were reviewed by John Barrett, City Solicitor he is working with architect – It should be advertised soon. Work projected for this year. Columbaria Expansion - In spring once area is flagged Jaquelyn Poirier will notify Trustees, so they can look at placement of new units Web Site –Jaquelyn Poirier working with Greg Charland from Charland Technology. Joe Coco unable to get access to website – Jaquelyn Poirier will email Greg Charland, and cc Joe Coco to try to correct this. Cemetery Mapping – Joe Coco has cut cemetery sections in half for better visual. Joe and Donna Coco are adding history and orientation on map. Joe Coco will give maps to Engineering they will add water lines. Adopt -A-Veteran – New program to have individuals adopt a Veteran, and purchase a Veteran’s flag holder. They are starting to sell, Joe Coco working with Jaquelyn Poirier on layout. Perpetual Care Expendable Interest The following motions were adopted by a vote of 3 in favor, 1 apposed. 4 Board members present. A motion made by Joe Coco and seconded by Diane Ouellette to transfer $10,000.00 from Perpetual Care Expendable account # 80430 – 545400 to Water System Phase IV expense account # 014914 – 545619. A motion made by Joe Coco and seconded by Diane Ouellette to transfer $ 10,000.00 from Perpetual Care Expendable account # 80430 – 545400 to Cemetery Building & Grounds expense account # 014914 – 545416. Trustees requested Jaquelyn Poirier to get more information on transferring a percentage of Perpetual Care Expendable Interest to Perpetual Care Non-Expendable. Cemetery Software – Jaquelyn Poirier looking into costs and options available for updating software. Software has not been updated for over 30 years. Trustees will come up with a few dates to schedule an on-line demo of product offerings. New Business: Memorial Day – Trustee would like to start sooner putting out the flags. Memorial students have volunteered to help this year. Jaquelyn Poirier will set a meeting up with Trustees, AMVETS to work out details for Memorial Day. Lantern Tour – More detail to follow – would like to have event in the summer Budget Meeting – Trustees want to meet with Lenny Laakso and Jaquelyn Poirier to discuss FY16 budget. Meeting to be held mid-March. Election of Cemetery Board Officers: The Chairmen Philip Jordan opened the floor for nomination of new Chairperson. Donna Coco nominated Philip Jordan for Chairmen, Joe Coco seconded by nomination Philip Jordan accepted. No other nominations for Chairmen were presented. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Philip Jordan nominated Donna Coco for Vice-Chairmen, Diane Ouellette seconded the nomination Donna Coco accepted. No other nominations for Vice-Chairmen were presented. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Elections closed Meeting schedule 2015: April 16, 2015 May 21, 2015 June 18, 2015 September 17, 2015 November 19, 2015 Events: Next meeting scheduled for April 23, 2015 at 9:00 am – at Cemetery Office A motion made at 11:00 pm by Donna Coco, and seconded by Diane Ouellette to adjourn the meeting. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Respectfully submitted, Jaquelyn R. Poirier Distribution: Cemetery Trustees Honorable Mayor Lisa A. Wong Nate LaRose City Clerk Ward 1 Councilor Amy Green Lenny Laakso, DPW Gary Withington, DPW Tricia Chabot Diane & Leo Ouellette Peggy Page Donald Lassila Joy Contois