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, April 20, 2017 Call to Order: Chair Judith Perla called the April 20, 2017 meeting to order at 9:00 am Trustee Members Present: Judith Perla, Diane Ouellette, Andrew Hawthorne, Nancy Maynard Trustee Members Absent: David DeMar Minutes of the Meeting: A motion made by Andrew Hawthorne, and seconded by Nancy Maynard to accept the minutes from February 23, 2017. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Oral Requests from Audience: Ken Maston, Behind the Lens Photography Workshops – looking for special permit to have group take photographs at Laurel Hill on various dates from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm during full moons. Possibly on May 10th or June 9th. (Proposal available upon request) The Board of Trustees tabled this request and will get back to Mr. Maston with a decision. Crematory: Andrew Hawthorne presented informal survey on current cremations vs. full interments with advantages of building crematory here in Fitchburg. (Available upon request) Mayor Stephen DiNatale thanked the board for their service, and addressed the crematory as a possible opportunity but more of a challenge for the City of Fitchburg. There are many capital needs in the city that need to be addressed City Hall, Library and Crocker School. When the Auditor, Treasurer, Commissioner, and Superintendent met the payoff figure was very risky for the City with the study completed in 2012. With a new office to be built, there is a possibility to get quotes on a space for a future crematory. Possibly another study with current statistics. Jaquelyn Poirier will check to see if any grants are available for this type of project. Cemetery Department Report: Report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill Forest Hill - Cleaned mausoleum - Spring clean-up flowers and decorations on graves from winter - Cleaned office trailer - Helped with cleaning DPW and Water Department - Rubbish removal in cemetery and along bike path - Filled in sunken graves - Removed flags in Veteran flag holders - Removed brush - Removed and trimmed trees - Picked up down limbs - Snow plowed & shoveled - Equipment maintenance - Started raking grounds from winter debris - Replaced winter supplies with mowers for season - Vehicle inspections - Folded flags for Memorial Day - Started cleaning out catch basins (40) completed to date - Picked up old logs from section M, and N along fence - Sorted grave numbers on site for new section - (20) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Checked and picked up trash - Cleaned up down limbs - Reported vandalism to police - lifted (3) headstones back in place South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Checked and picked up trash - Cleaned up down limbs - Dean Hill – lifted (1) headstone back in place Cemetery Staff - 2 full-time workers - Light Duty - 1 LMEO - 1 Superintendent Administration - Applied for Veterans markers in Washington - Consult with grieving families - Sales - graves, veterans’ foundations, veterans’ flag holder, brick, cremated remains table rental, columbarium - Transfers of lot ownership - Genealogical searches - Adopt a Veteran – processing requests - Attending DPW managers meetings - Training on Munis from Treasurer and Auditor – on cemetery accounts - Working on keeping graves in specifications - Spoke with Fence Company for spring installation for fencing at Forest Hill - Coggshall schedule - Coordinated repairs in trailer - Consulted with Tom Daly – family private mausoleums – pricing, rules, future maintenance costs, sectioning cemetery graves for groups of individuals - Meeting with department on projects for next year, equipment requests and needs - Meeting with Commissioner and Trustees FY18 budget - Meeting with AMVETS – Memorial Day planning - Corresponded with Veterans Agent regarding Memorial Day preparations - Meeting with Mayor, Commissioner, Auditor and Business Manager to discuss feasibility of crematorium - Meeting with funeral provider - Attended Massachusetts Cemetery Association meeting with Working Foreman  Legislative Updates SB1236 “An Act to Preserve Eternal Bonds between People and their Animal” – This bill would allow co-interment burial in cemeteries between both human and animal remains HB717 “An Act Establishing a mandatory sentence for destruction, Defacement or Damage to burial tombs and grave markers” – This bill prohibits reduction of said sentence and imposes a mandatory prison sentence of six months - Completed 2017 Equipment inventory - Working on feasibility of using columbaria area for full interments with BSC Group and Engineering - Coordinated software demo for April Trustee meeting - Meeting with working foreman – goals for spring and Memorial Day - Requested IT to look into why family search is no longer working on city website - Working on Veteran list for Memorial Day - Interviews with master plan proposals – phase II - Management training Fitchburg State - Community Outreach – ARC – setting up job assessment - Training staff on cemetery processes - Consulted with Auditor on expenditures from perpetual care expendable account - Working with Engineering on expansion section Q - Meeting with Commissioner, Engineering and Street Superintendent on expansion at Forest Hill - Inventory of graves left in section P – 19 graves – Working with Commissioner and Engineering on potential new graves Jaquelyn Poirier presented board with a coloring book for children who have encountered a loss. This is a tool for our families to help the children. With the opioid crisis more and more children are involved with the loss of a parent or sibling. (Sample available upon request) Old Business: Master Plan – Proposals reviewed, companies interviewed by committee Lenny Laakso Commissioner, Nelson Mui Business Manager, Andrew Hawthorne Trustee, Nancy Maynard Trustee, Jaquelyn Poirier Superintendent. The proposal selected by committee now in purchasing to contact company. Mausoleum –Paul Lieneck preparing construction document. Richard Demers with Monty Tech is on hold until 2018, due to construction scheduled at Monty Tech for next school year. Section Q Expansion –A drain needs to be installed for water run-off and a fence needs to be installed for safety along Electric Avenue. Gary Withington will continue work as area needs to dry from spring rain. Graves expected to be available by end of this summer. FY18 Budget – Lenny Laakso, Jaquelyn Poirier, Chair Judith Perla, and Vice-Chair Diane Ouellette met to review budget. Lenny Laakso submitted first draft – all new hires and capital improvements removed from budget and will be addressed in a separate meeting. Budget still in process. Request for Private Family Mausoleum – Currently our rules do not address private mausoleums. More information is needed. Size allowed, pricing, foundation requirements, area for delivery, wall thickness, roofline, door height at least 6’, rear loading, pricing for perpetual care with additional funding in trust for repairs, rules, location within Forest Hill where they would be allowed. Once all information is gathered this will have to be added to our current rules if Trustees decide to allow. Chair Judith Perla made a sub-committee - members Diane Ouellette and Nancy Maynard. Separate Sections for Religious Groups – Diane Ouellette researched on March 11, 2008 the Board addressed this issue. (Available upon request) Forest Hill being a non-denominational cemetery the Board of Trustees voting against having separate sections in cemetery for any groups. The Board agreed that the previous Board made the right decision and agreed with their decision. Fencing – spring installation – approved by City Council – Perpetual Care Expendable Funding Order 286-16 - $ 5985.00 Surfside Fence – 350’ 4’ galvanized fence along Electric Avenue $ 13,950.00 Girouard Fence – 780’ of 4’ black fence along Mt. Elam Road New Business: Cemetery Software – The current system being utilized by department is over 30 years old. Records are still being done by hand. New software is needed, and it can be installed in phases. A presentation to look at possibilities with one company were presented by Ethan Polo from CemSites. (Packet available upon request) Memorial Day Flag Placement Jaquelyn Poirier has ordered all the flags Laurel Hill – Depending on weather – Trustees – May 24th Wednesday @ noon Hartwell – Andrew Hawthorne – Wednesday – May 24th Forest Hill – Thursday May 25th – Trustees morning, AMVET & BoyScouts 4:30 pm – Light Refreshments served – Friday 26th – Trustees & AMVETS check on any flags missed Meeting Schedule 2017: May 18, 2017 June 15, 2017 September 21, 2017 November 16, 2017 Events: Next meeting scheduled for Thursday May 18, 2017 at 9:00 am – Cemetery Office A motion made at 12:11 am by Andrew Hawthorne, 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 Stephen DiNatale A. J. Tourigny City Clerk Ward 1 Councilor Amy Green Lenny Laakso, DPW Gary Withington, DPW Tricia Chabot Peggy Page