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, November 15, 2018 Call to Order: Chair Judith Perla called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Nancy Maynard Trustee Members Absent: Andrienne G. Clark Others Present: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Paul Jornet, First Sergeant USMC (Ret), Marine Instructor In Charge, Monty Tech MCJROTC, Patricia Chabot – Laurel Hill Inventory Committee Approval of Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Nancy Maynard and seconded by Andrew Hawthorne, to approve the minutes from the board meeting on October 25, 2018. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Minutes approved. Public Forum: Paul Jornet, First Sergeant USMC (Ret), Marine Instructor In Charge, Monty Tech MCJROTC presented an overview of the Wreaths Across America program. National Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2018, with wreath-laying taking place in cemeteries across the country to honor our fallen Veterans. Sgt. Jornet and his cadets would like to sponsor Laurel Hill Cemetery this year, with a Remembrance Ceremony and wreath-laying taking place starting at 9:00 a.m. Wreaths will also be placed at South St., Dean Hill, & West St. Cemeteries. Wreaths representing each branch of service will be placed at Forest Hill Cemetery. In addition, the public is invited to welcome the Wreaths Across America convoy as it arrives at Monty Tech on its way to Arlington National Cemetery, on Monday, December 10th. A Remembrance Ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. inside the Performing Arts Center. Patricia Chabot, Laurel Hill Inventory Committee, spoke in favor of this proposal. A motion was made by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Andrew Hawthorne, to participate in this program and accept this honor on behalf of all Veterans of the City of Fitchburg. 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. General Discussion of Cemeteries: Cemetery Department Report 11/15/2018- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill - Cleaned mausoleum - Cleaned office trailer - Helped with cleaning DPW, Wastewater and Water department - Rubbish removal in cemetery and along bike path - Cut/trim grass - Fertilizer for winter - Cleaned off catch basins - Winterized water line - Installed Veteran markers - Cleaning up fall leaves - Picked up downed limbs - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Equipment and vehicle maintenance - Up righted (31) stones - (13) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Cleaned up downed limbs - Removed downed tree - Cut/trim grass South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Cleaned up downed limbs - Cut/trim grass Cemetery Staff - 2 full-time workers - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 1 1/2 days a week - 2 Temporary Help - 1 Superintendent Administration - Applied for Veterans markers in Washington - Met with families at need and pre-need for burials; consult with grieving families, ownership rights of lots, transfer of graves - Sales - graves, veterans’ foundations, veterans’ flag holder, brick, cremated remains table rental, columbarium - Genealogical searches - Completed Green Communities vehicle list for cemeteries - Coggshall schedule - Working on specifications for new software - Master Plan meeting with Ray Dunetz – reviewing master plan with Council December 4, 2018 Page 2 of 4 - Test Pits with Engineering in columbaria area – high water table –installed a drainage pipe into culvert to divert water - Completed Cemetery department input for Green Communities report to the Chief of Staff - Met with Purchasing on trailer lease - Coordinated Volunteers Bemis Associates – November 9th raised Veteran markers in Forest Hill - Scheduling Bemis Associates for November 19th – winter clean up - Scheduled prisoners for November 20th – winter clean up - Spoke with Monty Tech – Wreaths Across America – December 15, 2018 - Fitchburg State University film shoot was completed on November 11, 2018 – no issues Old Business: Mausoleum interior repairs update Discussion of delays in interior repair work and status of the architect proposal originally submitted in November of 2015. If this work cannot be scheduled with Monty Tech in the near future, trustees would like to look at other options to have this repair work done. Cemetery Rules & Regulations update Revised rules and regulations have been submitted to the City Council for approval. Forest Hill Master Plan B Phase 2 Update Ray Dunetz scheduled to present the plan to the City Council on December 4, 2018. (Presentation postponed). Re-appointments Judith Perla and Andrew Hawthorne have submitted their requests for re-appointment to the Mayor’s office. They will go before the Appointments Committee on December 4, 2018. Historical Tours Update Judith Perla learned that trustees are not allowed to ask for donations for historical tours. A 501(c)(3) account would have to be set up. Another option would be to find an outside group to host the tours. A motion was made by Diane Ouellette, and seconded by Nancy Maynard, to table this discussion until the next meeting. 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. Discussion tabled. Events: Wreaths Across America, Convoy arrival and Remembrance Ceremony, December 10, 2018, 4:00 p.m., at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School. Wreaths Across America, Remembrance Ceremony and laying of wreaths at Laurel Hill Cemetery, December 15, 2018, 9:00 a.m. The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, January 17, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. at the Cemetery Office. Page 3 of 4 Adjournment: A motion was made by Diane Ouellette, and seconded by Andrew Hawthorne, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed, and the meeting was adjourned at 10:11 a.m. Meeting Schedule 2019: January 17, 2019 February 21, 2019 March 21, 2019 April 18, 2019 May 16, 2019 June 20, 2019 September 19, 2019 October 17, 2019 November 28, 2019 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