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 21, 2019 Call to Order: Trustee Clerk Diane Ouellette called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Andrienne G. Clark, Nancy Maynard Trustee Members Absent: Judith A. Perla Others Present: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent 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 January 17, 2018. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Minutes approved. Public Forum: Bob Pearson, of Leominster Monument Company, showed the board a new product, “Memorial Guard”. This product was designed for Veterans Memorial Markers, and can be installed under existing flat markers, or new markers. The product helps reduce the risk of sinking. Mr. Pearson asked to be allowed to install these, for families who have purchased them, at grave sites in Fitchburg cemeteries. A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne, and seconded by Nancy Maynard, to allow this product to be used in the Fitchburg cemeteries. 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. Staff Reports: Cemetery Department Report 2/21/2019- 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 - Filled sink holes in graves - Trimmed trees - Made new wooden frame for the graves - Cleaned up all wreaths from Wreaths across America – all cemeteries - Repaired plow damage to grass - Assembled new lowering device - Picked up downed limbs - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Equipment and vehicle maintenance - Snow plowing and shoveling - (8) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Cleaned up downed limbs - Marked Veteran graves for spring South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Marked Veteran graves for spring - Clean debris along the fence Cemetery Staff - 2 full-time workers - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 1 1/2 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, ownership rights of lots, transfer of graves - Sales - graves, veterans’ foundations, veterans’ flag holder, brick, cremated remains table rental, columbarium - Genealogical searches - Coggshall schedule - Arranged Coggshall roof repair - Meeting with Software Company – new proposal - Scheduled OSHA 10 class for two new employees - Submitted data for Opioid litigation case - Ordered protective cover and head covers for new device - Meeting with Monument Company - regulations - Working on specifications for new software - Working with Engineering in columbaria area – high water table –monitoring wells – with help from the DPW installed a drainage pipe into culvert to divert water – need to install another drain pipe in the summer the water table not low enough to support graves - Met with Mayor, City Auditor and Commissioner to discuss expansion project. Working on lowering water table to increase time before new cemetery. DPW will also search for potential cemetery sites on GIS – 10 + acre sites - Working with Purchasing on trailer lease - Working on building leaks at Mausoleum – Met with roofing company to determine if it is a warranty issue. Found that exterior limestone block wall needs repointing – water is getting through gaps in mortar - Met with masonry contractor – found numerous repointing issues at Mausoleum. Waiting for estimate Page 2 of 4 - Working with Monty Tech with mausoleum renovations – they are willing to work on flooring and stairs outside – Flooring is in - Worked with engineering – new section R – 28 new graves – on the left-hand side of memorial cremated remains section – expected to open in spring – Engineering will reset grave numbers - Councilor Joel Kaddy has offered to train cemetery personnel in the spring on how to fix broken stones with different techniques depending on stone composite -FY20 – Budget met with Trustee sub-committee, Commissioner, and Business Manager Old Business: Monty Tech MCJROTC Thank You A Thank you to Sgt. Jornet and the Monty Tech MCJROTC for sponsoring Laurel Hill Cemetery into the Wreaths Across America program, and laying wreaths to remember our Veterans this past December, was sent via email on January 25, 2019. Cemetery Software and IT Department Update Superintendent Poirier received a new proposal for software from CemSites. Due to price increases, the Keepsake Memorials add-on module will be dropped. This can be purchased separately at a later date. Still waiting for funding. Forest Hill Master Plan B Phase 2 Superintendent Poirier and Commissioner Laakso met with the Mayor and City Auditor to discuss the expansion of Forest Hill. Cemetery Department is working with Engineering and DPW to lower the water table in the area behind the columbaria and potentially add grave sites. This could increase the time before having to expand. DPW is also using GIS to search for other potential 10+ acre cemetery sites. Website update – Rules & Regulations The updated cemetery Rules & Regulations will be added to the website as soon as possible. Office Trailer Quotes The only quote received was from the current company. Pricing is unacceptable. Superintendent Poirier is working with purchasing on other options. Mausoleum repairs Special order tiles for the floor are in, and Monty Tech students will install. The date is not scheduled at this time. DPW will do the repointing on the leak areas of the walls, and the interior repainting. New Business: Budget Review The Trustees and Superintendent Poirier reviewed the proposed FY20 budget. Page 3 of 4 Request for filming Superintendent Poirier received a request from Mr. Gerard Rodriguez of Japonica Films, located in Spain, to shoot a short scene in Forest Hill Cemetery for the documentary “The Mystery of the Pink Flamingos”, on March 28th. A motion was made by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Andrienne Clark, to allow filming, contingent upon written permission from the family of Don Featherstone. 4 in favor, 0 opposed, motion passed. Request approved. Remarks and Comments from Trustees The Trustees and Superintendent Poirier thanked Clerk Diane Ouellette for chairing the meeting. Events: The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at the Cemetery Office. Adjournment: A motion was made by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Andrew Hawthorne, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 4 in favor, 0 opposed and the meeting was adjourned at 10: 05 a.m. Meeting Schedule 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