Trustees of Public Burial Grounds

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Feb 16 2024 11:06 am 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 JANUARY 18, 2024 The Cemetery Trustee Board meeting was held in the West Meeting Room, 1st Floor at City Hall, 718 Main Street. An online link and phone number were provided for those who wished to participate remotely. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Perla called the meeting to order at 9:03 am. Trustees Present: J. Perla, G. Mirijanian, A. Hawthorn. M. Sciabarrasi was absent. We had a quorum. Others Present: Nick Erickson, DPW Commissioner, and Russell Karlstad, Director of Facilities for Fitchburg. Remotely Present: Jaquelyn Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent Public Forum: No one was present, either in person or remotely, wishing to speak. #1. Review and Approval of Meeting Minutes: A. Hawthorne made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of November 16, 2023. G. Mirijanian seconded the motion. All in favor of approving the minutes. Motion passed. #2 Superintendent's Report: Cemetery Department Report 1/18/2024 - Progress report given by Jaquelyn Poirier Forest Hill Routine maintenance of grounds - Cleaned graves to comply with specifications - Maintenance – lawn mowers, equipment, backhoe and trucks - Set up garage for winter - Picked up flags at all cemeteries  - Picked up and cleaned trash barrels for season - Cleaned up debris from storms - Fixed wash out Memorial Gardens – Rain storm - Hauled fill to pit - Worked on water issue – section Q - Snow removal - Constructed new mower ramps – Laurel Hill INTERMENTS 11 INURNMENTS 4 UP RIGHTED MONUMENTS 5 UNCOVERED FLAT MONUMENTS MONUMENT FOUNDATION MARKING/PHOTOS 2 CATCH BASIN REPAIR/CLEAN FILLED SINK HOLES 6 TRIMMED TREES TRIMMED SHRUBS PHONE/OUTSIDE MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES 55 PAYMENTS - INVOICED/PROCESSED 45 FAMILY GENEALOGY 18 Cemetery Staff - 3 Full-Time Workers – 1 Co-op Monty Tech Student - 1 Superintendent Administration Routine administration tasks Cemetery Software Meetings with CompuTemps Working on lot/grave project General  Meeting with Lunenburg Trustee – Cemetery closing procedures Price Sheet and Rules – completed up on City of Fitchburg website Information meeting with Coast – scheduling application Cyber security training Meeting with Leominster Cemetery – mausoleum information – new price structure Working on budget needs End of Year paperwork CDL B training signed employee agreement T-26 – Transmission Union meeting – snow plow call-ins Collections Attended procurement training Memorial Gardens Fencing replacement – worked with Engineering and Streets – installation by Cemetery and Streets crew Waiting on paving Engineering also working on how we track available graves (maps) Mausoleum Mausoleum – conditions assessment phasing schedule Columbaria Working on draft specifications for new 72 niche unit Memorial Gardens fence installation 12.13.2023 Superintendent Poirier noted in section Q of the cemetery there was a water issue in that section. High ground water so there will be no burials in that area until the spring time to address this issue. Also, the new Memorial Garden area had issues with washout with the past torrential rains we have experienced because of the lack of grass in this new section. It was regraded and as soon as the grass can be planted and the pavement put in place it will be fine. Supt. Poirier also mentioned one staff member had been moved to another department. Supt. Poirier is working on the budget and a subcommittee of Chair Perla and Trustee Mirijanian will be attending the budget session to be held on February 6th at 10AM at the DPW Office. Approval of the Superintendent's report was made by J Perla, seconded by G. Mirijanian…all in favor…motion passes. #3. Update on Forest Hill Abbey: Russell Karlstad informed the Trustees work is ongoing for the Abbey which included the CAD drawings received from Feldman Geospatial on 1/12/24 which includes all elevations, sections,and roof plans.SPG has tentatively scheduled Cenaxo, Building & Monument Conservation, Structures North, and other consultants for site investigations/ surveying walkthrough on Tuesday January 24th at 8am weather permitting. #4. Update on Rules & Regulations Drafts: Supt. Poirier has completed the Rules & Regulations…some minor wording has to be included and then presented to the Trustees for approval for next meeting in February. #5. Update on Price List: The price list increase that was approved by the Trustees has moved to the City Council agenda where it was approved on 12/5/2023. The price list has been posted on the City website and will be in effect on January 1, 2024.  #6. Forest Hill Fencing: Along the Memorial Garden area a new black chain link fence has been installed by the cemetery workers and the DPW Street department saving the cost of labor. The cost for the fencing materials was $7,936. #7. New Trustee is needed for 2024: Trustee of Public Burial Grounds is a five (5) member board and to be able to continue our work as Trustees we have an opening for a Trustee member. If anyone is interested in joining our board please email the Mayor’s office: Mayor@fitchburgma.gov Events: The next meeting will be held on Thursday February 15,2024 at 9 AM in the West Meeting Room at City Hall, 718 Main Street, Fitchburg MA 01420 Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:15 AM Minutes of this and all other meetings can be view on the City of Fitchburg website under http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us Government -Meetings and Agendas - Trustees of Public Burial Grounds Respectfully submitted, Judith A. Perla~Chair/Clerk, Trustees of Public Burial Grounds