Trustees of Public Burial Grounds

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Nov 17 2022 3:06 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, October 20, 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 9:00 a.m. Trustee Members Present: Judith A. Perla, Diane R. Ouellette, Andrew J. Hawthorne, Michelle Sciabarrasi Others Present: Nick Erickson, Commissioner of Public Works, (arrived at 9:08 A.M.), Ellen DiGeronimo, Fitchburg Historical Commission ` Others Present Remotely: Jaquelyn R. Poirier – Cemetery Superintendent 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 September 15, 2022. Vote was unanimous. The motion passed, and the minutes were approved. Staff Report: Cemetery Department Report 10/20/2022- Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill Routine maintenance of grounds - Cleaned graves to comply with specifications - Pick up down limbs from all cemeteries - Maintenance – lawn mowers, equipment, backhoe and trucks - Clean trash from bike path and Forest Hill - Training with infant & child burials - Painted new water pipes - Planted fall flowers - Assisted DPW – installation of new water line - (2) Attended MA Cemetery Association Suppliers Day  INTERMENTS 7 INURNMENTS 3 UP RIGHTED MONUMENTS UNCOVERED FLAT MONUMENTS Many UDC MONUMENT FOUNDATION 9 MARKING/PHOTOS CATCH BASIN REPAIR/CLEAN FILLED SINK HOLES TRIMMED TREES TRIMMED SHRUBS PHONE/OUTSIDE MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES 45 PAYMENTS - INVOICED/PROCESSED 42 FAMILY GENEALOGY 16 Laurel Hill, South Street, West Street & Dean Hill & Hartwell Cutting and trimming Trimmed trees at Laurel Hill Ordered new signs Laurel Hill – “Closed to Vehicular Traffic” Cemetery Staff - 4 Full-Time Workers - 1 Superintendent Administration Routine administration tasks - Cemetery Software – meetings with CompuTemps – data base upgrade - Meeting with engineering expansion project - Payment arrangements Collection calls - Meeting with Trustee – Laurel Hill data - 134 graves left for sale in Forest Hill - Personnel issues – staff expectations regarding communication with each other - T27 accident working with insurance company - Conference with family – ownership rights - VA paperwork - Meeting with Funeral Provider – family issues - Coggshall schedule, supplies, trash issues - Meeting with stone merchant - Funeral lights installed in Ford Explorer – purchased American flags for windows – Veteran - Safety – all fire extinguishers – trucks, office, garage – tested and updated for the year A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne and seconded by Diane Ouellette to accept the Superintendent’s report. The vote was unanimous. The report was accepted. Page 2 of 5 Diane, Leo Ouellette and Patricia Chabot receiving citations from the Mayor 15 years of work – Inventory at Laurel Hill Cemetery – Many Thanks United Day of Caring 9.16.2022 Many stones lifted and uncovered, flags replaced, trash cleaned up – Great event Page 3 of 5 RFQ for Laurel Hill Cemetery Fencing: A motion was made by Diane Ouellette and seconded by Michelle Sciabarrasi to approve the expenditure of funds from the Cemetery Perpetual Care Expendable Trust fund in an amount not to exceed $32,000.00 (THIRTY-TWO THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for Laurel Hill Fencing, Phase IV. Vote was unanimous. Funding approved. Purchase of New Columbarium: Superintendent Poirier is awaiting the final layout of the new expansion area in Forest Hill before making a decision on columbarium unit purchases. RFQ for Mausoleum: The Trustees discussed the first step in obtaining funding for the RFQ (Request for Qualifications) to hire an OPM (Owners’ Project Manager) for the Mausoleum restoration. A motion was made by Andrew Hawthorne and seconded by Diane Ouellette to move forward with a request to the Mayor for funding the RFQ from Free Cash. Vote was unanimous. Motion passed. The Trustees will draft a letter to the Mayor requesting funding in the amount of $100,000.00 (ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the RFQ. Commissioner Erickson will make a formal request to the Mayor, on behalf of the Cemetery Department, which will include a copy of the Trustees letter. Contact Rep. Kushmerek and Senator Cronin offices for funding of Cemetery Mausoleum Repairs: Trustees discussed the possibility of obtaining additional funds for cemetery purposes from the state with the help of Representative Kushmerek or Senator Cronin. Commissioner Erickson will contact Representative Kushmerek regarding available funding. Name for new section for Forest Hill Cemetery: After a short discussion on names for the new section, Chair Perla made a motion to name this section “Memorial Gardens”. Andrew Hawthorne seconded the motion. Vote was unanimous. Motion passed. The name is approved. Trustee Michelle Sciabarrasi excused herself from the meeting at 9:47 A.M. Application for ARPA funding – Second Round: Trustees discussed putting in an application for the next round of ARPA funding which will be opening up early next year. Eagle Scout Project For South St. Cemetery: The Eagle Scout who originally proposed this project has chosen another project to pursue and has declined to move forward with the South St. project. ROLs collected from Stratton Players: Superintendent Poirier has received all of the Release of Liability forms from the Stratton Players’ last performance and filed them with the original permit for the performance. Needed Volunteers for Trustee Board before next year: Volunteers for the board will be needed for the upcoming year. The board has one open seat now, as Andrienne Clark’s position has not been filled since she resigned in the fall of 2021. Her term will be expiring on February 1, 2023. A second seat will be open on January 1st, as Trustee Ouellette is not seeking reappointment. Trustee Sciabarrasi is planning to resign before her term ends in 2024 but has agreed to stay on until another person is appointed. Chair Perla asked everyone to reach out to anyone they might know who would be interested in serving on the board. Meeting Schedule for Year 2023: Chair Perla distributed the schedule for meetings in 2023: January 19 – February 16 – March 16 – April 20 – May 18 – June 15 – September 21 – October 19 – November 16 – NO MEETINGS: July, August & December. Other Business: Superintendent Poirier spoke about the possibility of implementing the Daffodil Mile program that was first planned for in 2008. Daffodil bulbs could be bought by families in memory of their lost loved ones and planted along the perimeter of Forest Hill Cemetery. This will be discussed at the next meeting. Page 4 of 5 Events: The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 9 A.M. in the West Meeting Room at City Hall, 718 Main St. Adjournment: There being no further business, Andrew Hawthorne made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Diane Ouellette seconded the motion. Vote was 3 in favor, 0 opposed and Chair Judith Perla adjourned the meeting at 10:46 A.M. Meeting Schedule 2022: 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 Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk Bernard J. Schultz, Ward 1 Councilor Amy L. Green, Councilor-At-Large Tricia Chabot Page 5 of 5