Cemetery Commission

REGULAR MEETING OF THE CEMETERY COMMISSION October 27, 2016 Meeting of the Cemetery Commission was held in the office of the DPW 416 West Broadway on Thursday, October 27, 2016. Members Present: John Awdycki, Chairman; Member Brian LaRoche, Member Ludgar Robichaud, Denise Merriam, Principle Clerk and Secretary Attendees: Dane Arnold, Director of Public Works, Dean Meunier Foreman CALL TO ORDER Chairman, John Awdycki. called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. OPEN MEETING RECORDING ANNOUNCEMENT – any person may make a video or audio recording of an open session of a meeting, or may transmit the meeting through any medium, subject to reasonable requirements of the chair as to the number, placement and operation of equipment used so as not to interfere with the conduct of the meeting. Any person intending to make such recording shall notify the chair forthwith. All Documents referenced or used during the meeting must be submitted in duplicate to the Secretary of the Committee, pursuant to the Open Meeting and Public Records Law. All documents shall become part of the official record of the meeting. There was no one present taping the meeting. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES Motion made by Brian LaRoche second by Ludgar Robichaud to accept the minutes of the July 22, 2016 meeting as written. All in favor so voted. ORDINANCES, GENERAL LAWS, AND SPECIAL ACTS CORRESPONDENCE FINANCIAL STATEMENT: REPORTS FROM AUDITOR The Committee was given a financial statement for review and was informed that the City Auditor is still making some changes. STATUS OF FACILITIES Dane informed the Committee that we are moving ahead with the building up back. Hopefully next October/November we will be moved in. We will move everything from Crystal Lake to this office then take down the building at Crystal Lake and we would like to put up cremation vaults. The Mayor is on board with this. Dean some time down the road I would like to excavate the hill at Crystal Lake and install more cremation vaults with a retaining wall around them. The stones we have now keep falling and we cannot mow that area. Dane: the stones that were hit by a car: we found the owner and they are dealing with the Insurance Co., smaller stones are already fixed. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEAD UNDER COMMITTEE’S JURISDICTION Dane: At the last meeting you voted to take down all decoration by October 31st we gave people a months’ notice with signs at all the cemeteries. Now it’s at the end of the month and some people have removed their flowers, what is left will be cleaned out. Dean has had  some people asking why we were doing this, so he explained why. Brian could we send them a bill if they do not clean up. We do not have addresses on people who put out the flowers. Brian asked if we could leave items in the fenced areas, Dean if they are over one foot then we pull them up. People are decorating foot stones that are in the way of mowing. In the spring we will put up signs as a reminder what is allowed. Flower account: money was put into a flower account years ago so interest can pay for certain people to get flowers on their graves twice a year. Valley Florist is saying they can’t do these flowers for the price we are paying. ($1.00, .75, etc.) Dean said there are twelve graves in the spring and ten in the fall. Dane does not feel PCIA money should be used for this, looking into it with the City Auditor. Ludgar asked who generated this? Dane it was done many years ago. Dane will call Valley Florist see if they have a contract. Dane feels this should end. Dean: Every year we would like to update our mowers keeps the cost of maintenance down. Dane originally they were all bought at the same time all the same age. Prisoners are coming in to clean up leaves. Brian LaRoche was asking about the Fourth Member of the Committee Terri-Ann White we should have her name taken off. Dane stated it is the Mayor’s decision, do we need four members or just keep it three. John: we had five when you count Municipal Grounds Director and Cemetery Foreman. Denise informed the Committee that she spoke with the Mayor on this appointment and payment has been stopped. Motion made by Ludgar Robichaud second by Brian LaRoche to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 am Next meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 8:00 am. Respectfully submitted: Denise M. Merriam Principal Clerk and Secretary All documentation mentioned at the meeting may be viewed at the DPW office at 416 West Broadway. Minutes approved at the January 19, 2017 meeting