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 18, 2019 Call to Order: Chair Judith A. Perla called the meeting to order at 8:54 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 Andrienne Clark to approve the minutes from the board meeting held on March 21, 2019. 5 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Minutes approved. Public Forum: No one was present wishing to speak. Staff Reports: Cemetery Department Report 4/18/2019- 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 - Annual spring cleaning of graves - Cleaned up from wind damage – 3 trees down - Filled sink holes in graves - Picked up downed limbs - Filled sink hole and patched road - Started thatching - Purchased rakes and shovels needed for spring season - Cleaned up pit - Helped identify solar light issues on grounds - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Equipment and vehicle maintenance - Starting spring clean-up - (8) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Cleaned up downed limbs - Cleaned debris South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Cleaned up downed limbs - Cleaned debris Cemetery Staff - 2 full-time workers - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 1 1/2 days a week - 1 LMEO position posted with HR - 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 - Sent collection letters – making payment arrangements - Sent compliance letters for new rules – many letters back due to wrong address on file - Genealogical searches - Coggshall schedule - Ordered flags for Parks & Cemeteries - Master Plan Phase II - Ray Dunetz,– waiting on funding - 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 - 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 – DPW will help in spring repointing repairs - Met with masonry contractor – found numerous repointing issues at Mausoleum. Waiting for estimate - Working with Monty Tech with mausoleum renovations – they are willing to work on flooring and stairs outside –Monty Tech started floor repairs (see picture below) - Working in 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 - Ordered Memorial Guard – installed – doing testing on guard (see picture below) - DPW Commissioner and Engineering working on GIS map of potential cemetery sites. Identifying 10 + acre lots – in process - working on criteria – access to lots, any wetland issues, grades of land - Planning for spring/summer season - Working with HR – LMEO position / Temporary Help Page 2 of 5 Mausoleum Floor Repairs Memorial Guard Installed Old Business: Memorial Day Preparations Chair Judith Perla has been in touch with Veterans Agent Michelle Marino regarding plans for placing Veterans Flags for Memorial Day. Andrew Hawthorne and Diane Ouellette collaborated on creating a flyer asking for volunteers to help with flag placement. This will be posted at various offices and businesses throughout the city and posted to Facebook. Andrew Hawthorne will arrange for an announcement of the need for volunteers to be posted on FATV. An email from the Trustees was sent to Mayor DiNatale inviting him to again welcome all of our flag placement volunteers at Forest Hill Cemetery on May 23, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. The flag holders ordered for Laurel Hill have not been delivered yet. Mausoleum Repairs Monty Tech has started repairing the floor in the mausoleum. The work on the outside stairway will be scheduled for next year. The Trustees discussed the repairs that will be needed to the outside walls. Rainwater is not getting in at this time. Damage was done by ice melting and refreezing. A phased plan will be needed for Page 3 of 5 the repointing of the entire building. Superintendent Poirier is still waiting for an estimate from the masonry contractor. Office Trailer Quotes There is no new information from purchasing regarding pricing for the Office Trailer. Quote for Rights of Burial Superintendent Poirier explained the changes in the law regarding “Deeds” issued to lot owners. Lots are sold only with “Rights of Burial”, and the ownership of the land remains with the City of Fitchburg. The forms currently used are outdated. The Superintendent is waiting to hear back on a quote for a new fillable PDF form for “Rights of Burial” that can be issued for new lot purchases. FY20 Budget Update Trustees reviewed the Mayor’s final FY20 Cemetery Department budget which will be presented to the City Council for approval. (Copy available upon request). Software Update Still waiting for funding for the new Cemetery Software. Trustees expressed frustration over this. There is some concern about price increases while waiting for funding to be approved. Commissioner Laakso has sent an email to the Mayor and City Auditor in support of this purchase. New Business: None at this time. Events: The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at the Cemetery Office. Adjournment: A motion was made by Nancy Maynard, and seconded by Diane Ouellette, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 5 in favor, 0 opposed and the meeting was adjourned at 9:57 a.m. Meeting Schedule 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 Page 4 of 5 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 5 of 5