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 15, 2018 Call to Order: Chair Judith Perla called the February 15, 2018 meeting to order at 8:58 am. Trustee Members Present: Judith Perla, Diane Ouellette, Andrew Hawthorne, Nancy Maynard Trustee Members Absent: None Others Present: Jaquelyn Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Lenny Laakso – Commissioner of Public Works, Gary Withington – Superintendent of Streets, Stephen Curry – Health Director, Jean-François Leblanc - Sanitary Inspector/Recycling Coordinator, Andrienne Clark, Ray Dunetz – Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture, Approval of Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne, and seconded by Nancy Maynard, to accept the minutes from the board meeting on January 18, 2018. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne, and seconded by Diane Ouellette, to accept the minutes from the Special board meeting on January 30, 2018. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Oral Requests from Audience: Kathy Vonderhaff, 109 Old Deerfield Rd., addressed the board regarding her concerns about surveyors on the cemetery expansion land marking off property lines without notifying the abutters. She and other abutters are requesting notification when work is being done at or near their property lines. Would like the cemetery to consider erecting fencing at her property line. She has experienced problems with trespassers accessing her property via cemetery land and thanked Lenny Laakso for his help in deterring them. Election of Officers: Nancy Maynard made a motion to retain the same officers in place for 2018. The motion was seconded by Andrew Hawthorne. Judith Perla accepted the nomination for Chairperson. Diane Ouellette accepted the nomination for Clerk. There were no other nominations. Nominations closed. 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. Election closed. General Discussion of Cemeteries: Andrew Hawthorne gave an update on the current cost and rate of cremations based on information from Rural Cemetery in Worcester. Cemetery Department Report: Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill - Cleaned mausoleum - Cleaned office trailer - Picked up downed limbs - Helped with cleaning DPW, and water department - Rubbish removal in cemetery and along bike path - Plowed & Shoveled - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Equipment maintenance - Replaced stone from stonewall on Mt. Elam - (9) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Closed for season - Cleaned up downed limbs South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Cleaned up downed limbs Cemetery Staff - 1 full-time worker - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 2 days a week - Help from DPW as needed - 1 Superintendent Administration - Applied for Veterans markers in Washington - Met with families at need and pre-need for burials; consult with grieving families - Sales - graves, veterans’ foundations, veterans’ flag holder, brick, cremated remains table rental, columbarium - Genealogical searches - Attended DPW managers meetings - Coggshall schedule - Attended mandated DOT drug & alcohol training for managers - Met with Tree contractor – taking down three trees that are dead and a safety issue - Ordered new pick-up truck for department Old Business: Master Plan – Phase 2 - Ray Dunetz, of Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture presented an update to the Phase 2 Preliminary Master Plan for Forest Hill that included Alternate options A & B. (Plans available upon request). He has requested feedback from trustees in the next two weeks. He will present another update to the plans at the March 15th board meeting. Gary Withington will be working with the Board of Health to do more test pits. Page 2 of 4 Mausoleum Update – Interior restoration work on the mausoleum is still on hold. Waiting for a date on the Monty Tech fall schedule. Software Update – Jaquelyn Poirier has received several proposals from CemSites and is waiting for IT to schedule a meeting. Budget FY19 – The proposed budget will be submitted to the Mayor on February 16, 2018. Rosa H. Brown Fund – Judith Perla and Diane Ouellette have continued to research information on this fund. It has been determined that this fund was set up in the name of Rosa Heywood Brown “for cemetery purposes”, but, the City has no further information regarding same. Mrs. Brown died in 1923 and is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery. The Cemetery Department has not had access to the interest from this fund. Judith Perla and Diane Ouellette will draft a letter to the City requesting release of the funds to the Cemetery Department. Cemetery Accounts Update – Current amounts of Cemetery Revolving accounts and Perpetual Care Accounts were reviewed by the board. New Business: Cemetery Rules and Regulations review – Trustees will discuss proposed new additions and revisions of the rules, along with Cemetery Pricing at the next meeting. Adopt A Veteran Program – An overview of the program was given by Jaquelyn Poirier. Trustees discussed the need for more advertising as we get closer to Memorial Day. Memorial Day Preparations – Discussion of the need for more help in placing Veterans’ flags for Memorial Day. Judith Perla will contact members of the Veterans’ groups to get the word out. Nancy Maynard will work on creation of a flyer. Forest Hill Stone Wall Entrance Repair – Cemetery Department will be doing the repair work and anticipates completion by the end of the summer. Everpresence Flower Program – The program needs to be revamped. Jaquelyn Poirier will present an overview of the program at the next meeting. Meeting Schedule 2018: March 15, 2018 April 19, 2018 May 17, 2018 June 21, 2018 September 20, 2018 October 18, 2018 November 15, 2018 Events: Next regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 9:00 am – Cemetery Office. Page 3 of 4 A motion was made at by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Diane Ouellette, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Diane R. Ouellette Clerk, Trustees of Public Burial Grounds Distribution: Cemetery Trustees Lenny Laakso, DPW Honorable Stephen DiNatale Gary Withington, DPW A.J. Tourigny Tricia Chabot City Clerk Peggy Page Ward 1 Councilor Amy Green Andrienne Clark Page 4 of 4