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, May 16, 2019 Call to Order: Chair Judith A. Perla called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrienne G. Clark, Nancy Maynard Trustee Members Absent: Andrew J. Hawthorne Others Present: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Trevor Bonilla – IT Manager, Nick Erickson, P.E. & Ryan Killeen, Jr. Engineer -Department of Public Works 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 April 18, 2019. 4 in favor, 0 opposed - Motion passed. Minutes approved. Public Forum: No one was present wishing to speak. Staff Reports: Cemetery Department Report 5/16/2019- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill - Cleaned mausoleum – Bemis Associates - Cleaned office trailer - Helped with cleaning DPW, Wastewater and Water department - Rubbish removal in cemetery and along bike path - Completed spring clean of graves - Picked up solar lights – in compliance with new rules - Fertilized grass at Forest Hill - Seeded winter graves - Power swept bike path – Bemis Associates - Starting painting fence along bike path – Bemis Associates - Assembled Veteran flag holders – Bemis Associates - Cutting and trimming grass - Filled sink holes in graves - Picked up downed limbs - Filled sink hole and patched road - Completed thatching - Cleaned graves to keep in specification - Mulched the flower beds - Installed Veteran markers - Marked graves for monument installation - Equipment and vehicle maintenance - (14) Funerals since last meeting Laurel Hill - Cleaned up downed limbs and debris - Up righted 24 stones - Installed 281 Veteran flag holders - mowing and trimming South Street/West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell - Cleaned up downed limbs and debris Cemetery Staff - 2 full-time workers - Light Duty - 1 LMEO – 1 1/2 days a week (On grounds from 5/13 – 5-24 full time) - 1 LMEO position – In process - (2) Temporary Summer Help - 1 Superintendent Administration - Applied for Veterans markers in Washington – Re-applied for marker came in spelled wrong - 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 - 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 –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 completed work on flooring (see picture below) Outside stairs – scheduled for next year project – Sent Thank you letter - New section R – 28 new graves – on the left hand side of memorial cremated remains section – Engineering reset grave numbers Page 2 of 5 - 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 - Working with HR – LMEO position / Temporary Help - Interviewed candidates for LMEO – and Temporary summer help - Spoke with BSC Group with regards to water pipe in Section Q – Lost 20 graves in section – there are currently 268 graves left in section Q - Meeting with cemetery consultant Tom Daly – license of burial forms - Met with family – public assistance process for marking grave - Meeting with Sheriff’s Office – help trimming, and winter clean up at Laurel Hill - Reported Laurel Hill damage to police department – Chief will increase patrols at Laurel Hill - Posted new Rules at Forest Hill and Laurel Hill - Sent Thank you letter to Bemis Associates for volunteering - Met with Mayor, IT, and Auditor – Software –start with data migration, cemetery record management with License. Phase II will be after data migration - Working on special order brick - Two benches installed – infant & cremains section – section Q - Computemps – working with to have access database converted to excel for GIS mapping this summer of Forest Hill Mausoleum Floor Repairs Mausoleum Floor Repairs Page 3 of 5 Old Business: Memorial Day Preparations All preparations are on track. Requests for volunteers to help place flags have been posted on Facebook and FATV. The Amvets, Boy Scout Troop 41, the FHS ROTC, and Monty Tech MCJROTC have all confirmed that they will help again this year. There have been many responses from private citizens as well. The majority of the Veteran Flag holders have been placed at Laurel Hill Cemetery, and the rest will be placed by the end of the week. Cemetery Software Funding Update Trevor Bonilla spoke about the funding for Phase 1 of the new cemetery software to be purchased and explained the process of updating the cemetery’s software. This will start with data migration and cemetery record management with Licensing. Phase II will be after data migration. Forest Hill Master Plan B – Phase 2 Update Nick Erickson and Ryan Killeen from the Department of Public Works presented a GIS map of potential cemetery sites. They are still working on identifying 10+ acre parcels of land within the city that will fit the criteria needed for cemetery development. Office Trailer Quotes Update Purchasing is working with the current trailer company to obtain a new quote. Mausoleum Repairs Update Monty Tech has completed repairs on the Mausoleum floors. (photos on Page 3). FY20 Budget Update The Mayor’s FY20 budget has been filed in the City Clerk’s office. New Business: Bulletin Board Update The updated Cemetery Rules & Regulations have been posted on the signs in both Forest Hill & Laurel Hill Cemeteries. The sign in Forest Hill is scheduled to be repainted in June. Website Update Superintendent Poirier will work on having the Cemetery Rules & Regulations and Trustee meeting Agendas and Minutes posted to the city’s website. Page 4 of 5 Laurel Hill Cemetery Repairs The Trustees reviewed photos of damaged and collapsed walls within Laurel Hill Cemetery. (Photos available upon request). The recent continued rains have exacerbated the problem. The Trustees discussed the need for a plan to repair these walls. The Cemetery Department does not have enough manpower to undertake these repairs and will need more help. MCI inmate work crews have previously been used for these types of repairs. Chair Judith Perla stated that we would need to request help from the prison system in writing through the Mayor’s office. The Trustees will send a letter to Mayor DiNatale asking for his help in arranging for these work crews. Facebook Posts The Trustees discussed utilizing Facebook postings as a way to promote the work being done within the city’s cemeteries. Events: Thursday, May 23, 2019 – Placement of Veterans’ flags in all Fitchburg cemeteries. Flag placement at Laurel Hill Cemetery is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Diane & Leo Ouellette, Tricia Chabot will work with 1st Sgt. Paul Jornet and the Monty Tech MCJROTC cadets. Flag placement at Forest Hill Cemetery is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with Trustees and all volunteers. Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale will welcome the volunteers. The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at the Cemetery Office. Adjournment: A motion was made by Nancy Maynard and seconded by Andrienne Clark to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, 4 in favor, 0 opposed and the meeting was adjourned at 10:49 a.m. Meeting Schedule 2019: June 20, 2019 September 19, 2019 October 17, 2019 November 21, 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 5 of 5