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, September 27, 2018 Call to Order: Chair Judith Perla called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Andrienne G. Clark, Nancy Maynard Others Present: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Lenny Laakso - Commissioner of Public Works, Gary Withington – Superintendent of Streets Approval of Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Andrew Hawthorne, to accept the minutes from the board meeting on June 21, 2018. 5 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Public Forum: There was no one present wishing to speak. General Discussion of Cemeteries: Cemetery Department Report 9/27/2018- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill - Cleaned mausoleum - Cleaned office trailer - Helped with cleaning DPW, waste water and water department - Rubbish removal in cemetery and along bike path - Watering grave & flowers - Cut/trim grass - Trimmed shrubs and trees - Weeded flower beds - Planted 4 trees in section Q - Planted flowers in section Q - Installed foundation and benches in section Q - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Equipment and vehicle maintenance - Fixed front pillars and pillars by mausoleum with new mortar - Completed water installation – phase IV - Installation of solar lights – Locust Avenue (3) – Columbaria area (2) - Uncovered buried Veteran markers - Sprayed weeds - Fixed water leaks - Installed Veteran markers - Picked up flags from Memorial Day - Pressure washed the trailer - Painted steps and railings on trailer - Up righted stones (35) - Cleaned up along the woods by the lettered sections – 7 feet back to clean up area - Installed additional granite by monument and flag pole – prevent cars from parking on grass - Planted fall flowers - (36) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Sprayed weeds - Cleaned up downed limbs - Cut/trim grass - Up righted stones - Removed flags from Memorial Day - Accident – cleaned up debris, temporary fix on gate, replaced chain – Munitech doing permanent fix South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Cleaned up downed limbs - Cut/trim grass - Removed flags from Memorial Day - Fixed pipes at South Street Cemetery Staff - 3 full-time worker – New position as of 9/26/18 – Dan Roy General Foreman - 2 seasonal help - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 1.5 days a week - 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 - Worked on logistics for an oversized casket and vault for funeral - End of FY18 report, Opening FY19 reports - Met with Phil Jordon – arranged for proper disposal of flags from Memorial Day - Attended DPW managers meetings - Coggshall schedule - Ordered new tent for graveside services - Planned phase IV water system Page 2 of 4 - Working with CemSites - software - Met with solar company – installation of new light poles for Forest Hill – columbaria and Locust Avenue - Met with new Eagle Scout – Informational sign Laurel Hill - Advised Lunenburg cemetery with questions pertaining to general rules, cremated remains, and columbaria rules - Coordinated with Street Superintendent to fix pot holes in Forest Hill - Working with Engineering – GPS data for graves – Forest Hill - Completed paperwork for accident at Laurel Hill - Met and working with Purchasing – Trailer specifications - Engineering working on columbaria area ground water issue – scheduled for October 10th – Will be measuring culvert elevations, digging test pits and coming up with cost estimate - Meeting with Engineering – numbering cremated remain, infant section and 33 new graves Section R - Meeting with Laurel Hill inventory committee - Meeting with Treasurer from Faith United Parish – all graves owned by church donated back to City of Fitchburg – with stipulation that they be used for burial of homeless people - Working with Munitech – damage at Forest Hill section P – stone/fence - Had solar company install a light at parking lot flag pole - Ordered Ensure-A-Seal for mausoleum entombment -Coordinated United Day of Caring – lifted flat Veteran markers, painted a portion of bike path fence Old Business: Forest Hill Master Plan B Phase 2 Update Trustees reviewed the draft of the Forest Hill Cemetery Master Plan Phase Two. (Report available upon request). Corrections and comments will be forwarded to Ray Dunetz, of Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture. Fencing fasteners Superintendent Poirier is looking into pricing for alternative fasteners to replace the broken ones on the fence along Mt. Elam Road. Software Update and Funding Superintendent Poirier sent a letter to Mayor DiNatale requesting funding for the complete software project. Once the city’s free cash is certified, a Request for Proposals will be submitted through Purchasing. Cemetery Rules & Regulations update Trustees continued work on rules and regulations, adding wording to address solar lights, and gravesites that do not conform to the rules regarding grave decorations. The new notification sign that is posted at gravesites that do not meet specifications is working out well, and information about its use will be added to the rules. Final changes will be reviewed at the next meeting. Cemetery Trailer Update Superintend Poirier has been working with purchasing on options for the office trailer. A Request for Proposals to rent a new office trailer, with option to buy, has gone out, with bids due on October 4, 2018. Page 3 of 4 New Business: Private Mausoleum No motion was made to rescind the previous vote taken on October 17, 2017 regarding private mausoleums in the current Forest Hill Cemetery. The vote stands. Historical Tours A sub-committee was formed to plan historical tours of Forest Hill Cemetery. Judith Perla and Andrienne Clark will meet to make preliminary plans for future tours. Remarks and Comments from Trustees: Chair Judith Perla expressed concern about gates remaining open overnight at Forest Hill Cemetery. Gates are left open to facilitate police patrols. Events: The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, October 18, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. at the Cemetery Office. Meeting Schedule 2018: November 15, 2018 Adjournment: A motion was made at by Andrew Hawthorne, and seconded by Andrienne Clark, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 5 in favor, 0 opposed. The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Diane R. Ouellette Clerk, Trustees of Public Burial Grounds Distribution: Cemetery Trustees A.J. Tourigny, Mayor’s Chief of Staff Jaquelyn R. Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent Anna M. Farrell, City Clerk Lenny Laakso, Commissioner of Public Works Amy Green, Ward 1 Councilor Gary Withington, Superintendent of Streets Tricia Chabot Honorable Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale Peggy Page Page 4 of 4