Trustees of Public Burial Grounds

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK May 20 2021 11:45 am 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 15, 2021 The Cemetery Trustee Board meeting was held remotely via the GoToMeeting platform. Call to Order: Chair Judith A. Perla called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. Trustee Members Present Remotely: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Andrienne G. Clark, Michelle Sciabarrasi Others Present Remotely: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Nicolas H. Bosonetto - DPW Commissioner, Sally Cragin – Stratton Players Public Forum: No one joined the meeting for the public forum. Review and Approval of Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne and seconded by Diane Ouellette to approve the minutes from the board meeting held on March 18, 2021. Vote was 5 in favor, 0 opposed. Minutes approved. Staff Reports: Cemetery Department Report 4/15/2021- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill Routine maintenance of grounds - Equipment maintenance - Continuing to clean and disinfect vehicles and facilities - Continuing spring clean up - Spring grave compliance clean up - Started thatching Forest Hill - Updated informational sign - Moved rocks around drainage pipes on mausoleum roof per Facilities Director - Put grave blankets away for the season - Training for marking foundations - Inventory lawn mower filters  INTERMENTS 2 INURNMENTS 3 UP RIGHTED MONUMENTS 27 UNCOVERED FLAT MONUMENTS MONUMENT FOUNDATION 29 MARKING/PHOTOS CATCH BASIN REPAIR/CLEAN 24 FILLED SINK HOLES 15 TRIMMED TREES 14 TRIMMED SHRUBS PHONE/OUTSIDE MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES 39 PAYMENTS - INVOICED/PROCESSED 23 FAMILY GENEALOGY 12 Laurel Hill, South Street, West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell Cleanup of branches Up righted stones Fixed and updated informational sign Cemetery Staff - 4 full-time workers – (1 Light Duty out injury since 10/15/2020 - 1 Superintendent Administration Routine administration tasks - Cemetery Software – meetings with CompuTemps –working on cleaning the data for migration – Laurel Hill migration of data in process - Coordinated with Washington on Veteran marker issues - Columbaria area –Engineering will continue to monitor wells - estimated 800 minimum graves. Engineering will work on design over the winter. $ 175,000 funded for project for roads, retaining wall, landscaping, water and fencing - - Eagle Scout – sign project completed Forest Hill - Coggshall scheduling/closing issue - First meeting to discussion parks transition - Onsite meeting with Commissioner Inventory of equipment - Meeting Facilities Director Russell Karlstad inspection of mausoleum, COVID office trailer process - Stone restoration training grounds crew - Meeting with Chief Martineau – surveillance Laurel Hill - Attended Massachusetts Cemetery Association meeting - Special thanks to the Fire Department for helping fix ropes on flag pole - Started schedule for Memorial Day preparations Page 2 of 6 Before and after limb clean up – Laurel Hill Before and after stone repair Laurel Hill Page 3 of 6 Eagle Scout Project completion with path signs attached to poles 3.27.2021 Trustees asked questions about the Cemetery Department merging with the Parks Department. Old Business Mausoleum Inspection: The roof of the mausoleum, which was replaced in 2015, is leaking. Russell Karlstad, City Facilities Director inspected the mausoleum. His assessment is that the building is in critical condition, with both repointing and roof repairs needed immediately. He will discuss these issues with the Page 4 of 6 Mayor and formulate a plan for the building. Trustees had questions about the warrantee for the roof, and measures that could be taken to mitigate the problems. Superintendent Poirier is waiting to hear back from the Facilities Director. Laurel Hill Fencing: The expenditure of funds from the Cemetery’s Perpetual Care Expendable Trust Fund, not to exceed the amount of $7, 310.00 (SEVEN THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED TEN AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the replacement of fencing at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Finance Order 047-21, was adopted by unanimous consent of the City Council, (11/0), at a meeting held on April 6, 2021. Superintendent Poirier has submitted a Purchase Order and received approval from the Auditor’s office to expend these funds. She has contacted the fence vendor to let him know that funding is available and schedule fence installation. The vendor will order the supplies and be in touch to set up a date for installation. There may be a delay, as some supplies are on backorder. Sally Cragin & Stratton Players: Sally Cragin spoke about final preparations for the “Artists and Ancestors” program to be held on April 17th & 18th at Forest Hill Cemetery. New England Restoration – Mr. Passmore: The cemetery crew was unable to attend the training on the planned date. Mr. Passmore will reschedule a training, tentatively in mid-June. Joel Kaddy has contacted Superintendent Poirier to also schedule a gravestone repair training class. Historical Register – Michelle Sciabarrasi: Trustees reviewed a preliminary report prepared by Trustee Sciabarrasi, “A Path for Laurel Hill” (Available Upon Request). The report outlines steps that can be taken to establish Laurel Hill Cemetery as a Historic Site to pursue grant funding for repairs. Discussion centered around cost versus benefits. Trustee Sciabarrasi will continue working to update the needed forms. New Business Laurel Hill Vandalism – Information Board: The vandalized stones have been uprighted, and the lock on the information board has been repaired. Information on the board has been updated. Downed tree limbs were also cleared away. Forest Hill Information Board: Information on the Forest Hill board has been updated. Memorial Day Observance: Superintendent Poirier met with Veteran Services Commissioner Michele Marino regarding plans for Memorial Day. There will be no ceremonies at the cemeteries this year, and no parade. The flags for the cemeteries have been ordered. Additional Veteran flag holders for Forest Hill have been ordered, and the ROTC at Monty Tech has been contacted for help at Laurel Hill. There are no plans to have the public help with flag placement this year. Cemetery employees and Trustees will place flags. Cemetery Accounts Balances: Trustees reviewed balances in all trust funds pertaining to the Cemetery Department (available upon request). A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne and seconded by Michelle Sciabarrasi, to invite the City Auditor to a meeting to help them gain a better understanding of how the funds operate. Vote was 5 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. Page 5 of 6 Trustee Mandate & Scope of Authority: Discussion on updating the section of the Fitchburg City Code, Chapter 11- Cemetery Administration, which pertains to the members of this board. Trustees disagreed on both the interpretation of the code, as written, and the responsibilities of this board. The discussion was tabled. Events: The next regular meeting will be held at 9:00 am on Thursday, May 20, 2021. If this meeting is held remotely, a link will be provided in the agenda. Adjournment: There being no further business, Andrew Hawthorne made a motion to adjourn. Diane Ouellette seconded the motion. Vote was 5 in favor, 0 opposed. Chair Judith Perla adjourned the meeting at 11:32 a.m. Meeting Schedule 2021: May 20th June 17th NO MEETINGS in July & August September 16th October 21st November 18th NO MEETING in December Respectfully submitted, Diane R. Ouellette Clerk, Trustees of Public Burial Grounds Distribution: Cemetery Trustees Mary de Alderete, City Clerk Jaquelyn R. Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent Bernard J. Schultz, Ward 1 Councilor Nicolas H. Bosonetto, Commissioner of Public Works Amy L. Green, Councilor-At-Large Gary Withington, Superintendent of Streets Tricia Chabot Honorable Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale Peggy Page Patrick Hare, Mayor’s Chief of Staff Joan David, Administrative Aide to the Mayor Page 6 of 6