Trustees of Public Burial Grounds

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Mar 17 2022 2:12 pm City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC BURIAL GROUNDS 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 17, 2022 The Cemetery Trustee Board meeting was held in the West Meeting Room, 1st Floor at City Hall, 718 Main St. An online link and phone number were provided for those who wished to participate remotely. Call to Order: Chair Judith A. Perla called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Michelle Sciabarrasi Others Present Remotely: - Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent, Nicholas J. Erickson, PE - Commissioner of Public Works Public Forum: No one was present, either in person or remotely, wishing to speak. Review and Approval of Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne and seconded by Michelle Sciabarrasi to approve the minutes from the board meeting held on January 20, 2022. Vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed. Minutes approved. Staff Reports: Cemetery Department Report 2/17/2022- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill Routine maintenance of grounds - Equipment maintenance - Cleaned graves to comply with specifications - Pick up down limbs from all cemeteries - Processed sand at pit for graves - Training new employee - Plowing and shoveling - Cleaning off catch basins - Clean mausoleum drains INTERMENTS 14 INURNMENTS UP RIGHTED MONUMENTS UNCOVERED FLAT MONUMENTS  MONUMENT FOUNDATION MARKING/PHOTOS CATCH BASIN REPAIR/CLEAN 20 FILLED SINK HOLES 7 TRIMMED TREES TRIMMED SHRUBS PHONE/OUTSIDE MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES 34 PAYMENTS - INVOICED/PROCESSED 27 FAMILY GENEALOGY 12 Laurel Hill, South Street, West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell Cleanup of branches Cemetery Staff - 4 full-time workers - 1 Superintendent Administration Routine administration tasks - Cemetery Software – meeting with CompuTemps - Columbaria area – meeting with Commissioner and Engineering concept design with topography 40 % complete- Engineering will be working on finishing up grant – to be used for wall vendor $ 25,000.00 - Facilities Director – mausoleum roof – working on scope of work for RFQ – Office and Garage - Richard Demers - Monty Tech – Jim Hachey- Vocational Director waiting on approval to schedule repair of stairs - Payment arrangements with families - Working on departmental forms - End of calendar year, beginning of calendar year paperwork - FY23 Budget - Staffing Study Anticipated Projects List for 2022: Superintendent Poirier provided a review of projects completed in 2021 and a list of projects anticipated for completion in 2022. See below: 2021 CEMETERY YEAR IN REVIEW With limited staffing it has been a challenge to keep the grounds maintained and burials on schedule. I am proud to state that my staff has not taken any time off during the duration of this pandemic. We did not go on alternate weeks, or any days off. We have kept all burials on schedule. I continue to meet face to face with all families following all safety precautions. Coordinated with local funeral providers with COVID 19 – adhering to changing State guidelines Working payment arrangements with families impacted by COVID 19 Eagle Scout project completed with path signs at Forest Hill Continuing to work with Facilities Director on cemetery buildings – concentrating on mausoleum issues Departmental forms – revamping old forms, implementing new License of Burial Form Page 2 of 5 Database upgrades – incorporating interment order, obituary, burial permits, certificate of death, and notes Starting adding Laurel Hill data into current database Video management – Laurel Hill surveillance Historical Register – gathered information for committee Laurel Hill Fence – Phase III – North Avenue completed Construction of new leaf box Walking Tours – Stratton Players working with Sally Cragin with regard to the logistics– Artists and Ancestors – April 17 & 18th – Letters from the Front – October 2nd and 3rd 203 Veteran flag holders assembled and installed at Forest Hill Memorial Guard – after testing product – added product to inventory for families Worked with Commissioner on design of new area in Forest Hill FULL INTERMENTS 60 INURNMENTS 46 UP RIGHTED MONUMENTS 73 UNCOVERED FLAT MONUMENTS 4 MONUMENT FOUNDATION 115 MARKING/PHOTOS CATCH BASIN REPAIR/CLEAN 92 FILLED SINK HOLES 22 TRIMMED TREES 24 TRIMMED SHRUBS 3 PHONE/OUTSIDE MEETINGS WITH 484 FAMILIES PAYMENTS - INVOICED/PROCESSED 362 FAMILY GENEALOGY 189 2022 CEMETERY PROJECTS Laurel Hill Fencing – Phase IV – Franklin Street side with gate at Charles Laurel Hill – Work on security issues – installation of new solar lights at entrances Continue migration of data into database for Laurel Hill New bench installation - Forest Hill Cemetery Work with Engineering - Completing design of new area New columbaria expansion– design and purchasing process Page 3 of 5 Forest Hill Expansion - $ 175,000 funded for project for roads, retaining wall, landscaping, water and fencing. Forest Hill Expansion – Master Plan – Phase II – Design funding Continuing to work with Facilities Director on building needs Installation of Veteran flag holders Response from Solicitor Pusateri on Stratton Players: The question of charging a fee for performances within the cemeteries was discussed at the last meeting. Chair Perla emailed City Solicitor Pusateri to see if this would be an allowed practice. His response is that this would require an ordinance change, and that he would not support this fee. Budget Sub-Committee for FY23 Budget: Chair Perla and Trustee Sciabarrasi will meet with Superintendent Poirier and DPW Commissioner Erickson in the conference room at the DPW, 301 Broad St., on February 22nd at 11 a.m. to go over the proposed FY23 budget. Trevor Bonilla report for Camera System for Laurel Hill Cemetery: Mr. Bonilla was not available for this meeting. Commissioner Erickson will contact him for an update on the camera system. American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Funding 2nd Round of Money (Addressing Public Health): Trustees would like to revisit the application process and criteria for ARPA funding. Commissioner Erickson will contact Tom Skwierawski at the Community Development office for more information. Preservation of Cemeteries Subcommittee to look into Grants: Trustee Sciabarrasi stated that she has been unable to locate any preservation grants that the cemeteries would qualify for at this time but will continue looking for same. She stated that most cities and towns are either using CDBG or Community Preservation Act funding for cemetery restorations. A discussion followed on whether to focus on just the mausoleum in Forest Hill, since it is in dire need of repairs and restoration. The roof is leaking and the building needs repointing. There are problems with the windows and interior restoration work is also needed. Trustees are frustrated with the process to secure money for repairs and feel that a letter to the Mayor and presentation before the City Council should be used to highlight these needs and make repair of the mausoleum a city priority. Events: The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 9 a.m. in the West Meeting Room at City Hall, 718 Main St. Adjournment: There being no further business, Diane Ouellette made a motion to adjourn the meeting, and Andrew Hawthorne seconded the motion. 4 in favor, 0 opposed. The motion passed and Chair Judith Perla adjourned the meeting at 10:20 A.M. Page 4 of 5 Meeting Schedule 2022: March 17th April 21st May 19th June 16th NO MEETINGS in July & August September 15th October 20th November 17th NO MEETING in December Respectfully submitted, Diane R. Ouellette Clerk, Trustees of Public Burial Grounds Distribution: Cemetery Trustees Jaquelyn R. Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent Nicholas J. Erickson, P.E., Commissioner of Public Works & City Engineer Gary Withington, Superintendent of Streets Honorable Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale Natalia Oliver, Mayor’s Chief of Staff Joan David, Administrative Aide to the Mayor Amanda Alford, Provisional City Clerk Bernard J. Schultz, Ward 1 Councilor Amy L. Green, Councilor-At-Large Tricia Chabot Peggy Page Page 5 of 5