Oakland Cemetery Commission

K L A A N D Oakland Cemetery Commission Meeting Agenda Tuesday, October 9, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 203 South Commerce, Russellville, AR 72801 Welcome Old Business: 1. Review and approve minutes of the September 11, 2012 Agenda Regular Meeting. 2. Financial Report – Finance Director Jerry McKaughan 3. A request to approve the liquidation of the Mitts in the Merrill Lynch Account. – Jerry McKaughan 4. Update on the letter sent to the Arkansas Securities Department. – Chairman Roys and Commissioner Harmon 5. Update on the tree beautification project, - Commissioner Harmon 6. A request by Mrs. Kathy Core naming the newest land addition to the Oakland Cemetery to “Buford Smith Addition”. New Business 1. Discuss items not on the agenda. 2. Prepare items for handoff to City Council for their October 20, 2012 meeting. Adjourn. Next Meeting – Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at Russellville City Hall, 203 South Commerce.  Cemetery Commission Minutes October 9, 2012 The Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission met on Tuesday, October 09, 2012, at 4:00 p.m., in the City Hall 2nd-Floor Conference Room at 203 South Commerce, Russellville, Arkansas. Attending were Chairman Mike Roys, Vice-Chair Garland Steuber, Secretary Donna Eubanks, Commissioner Bill Vaughn, Commissioner Paul Northcut, Commissioner Patricia Petray, Mayor Bill Eaton, and Director Lequitta Jones. Absent: Commissioner Bill Harmon, Commissioner Anna Fields The meeting was called to order by Chairman Mike Roys at 4:00 p.m. Chairman Mike Roys welcomed all. Old Business: The First Order of Business was to review and approve minutes of the September 11, 2012 Agenda Regular Meeting. Commissioner Vaughn made the motion to approve the minutes as submitted. The Second Order of Business was a Financial Report given by Finance Director Jerry McKaughan. Finance Director McKaughan reported that the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures were in order. Director Jones asked Jerry McKaughan if he had gotten with Mayor Eaton on bidding out the mowing at the cemetery for 2013. Mr. McKaughan said yes, “no bidding at the cemetery”. Commissioner Vaughn made the motion to approve the report. Secretary Eubanks seconded the motion and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request to approve the liquidation of the Mitts in the Merrill Lynch Account. – Jerry McKaughan Finance Director McKaughan reported that the 2 Mitts will have to be sold. The I-Shares can be rolled over along with the cash. Mr. McKaughan said we had until December 19, 2012 to liquidate the Merrill Lynch account. Mr. McKaughan said his recommendation would be to go ahead and do it now. Mr. McKaughan recommended that we move the account to John Turbeville advisor for Concert Wealth Management. Alderman Steuber stated his concern with Mr. John Turbeville was his background for the past several years on handling of Police and Fire Pension accounts. Mr. Steuber said I can lay hands on newspapers after newspapers where he has been in the newspaper for misuse of funds throughout the State of Arkansas. Commissioner Vaughn said Mr. Turbeville had made the Russellville Police and Fire lots of money. Chairman Roys said his recommendation would be to go ahead with Mr. John Turbeville advisor for Concert Wealth Management. Mr. Roys said we will watch and see what happens and that we can always change advisor- we have before. Commissioner Vaughn made the motion to approve selling the Mitts, rollover the I- Shares, and cash to John Turbeville of Concert Wealth Management. Secretary Eubanks seconded the motion and passed with a voice vote Roys, Petray, Vaughn and Eubanks voting for and Steuber votes against. The Fourth Order of Business was an update on the letter sent to the Arkansas Securities Department. – Chairman Roys and Commissioner Harmon Chairman Roys said we have not received a response. Director of Finance Jerry McKaughan and Alderman Steuber said it was their opinion that we would never hear from them again. Commissioner Vaughn said no we want hear from them again until we get a letter saying comply or else. Chairman Roys, Secretary Eubanks, Commissioner Petray said they agreed with Commissioner Vaughn. Again, Commissioner Roys said it’s not that we want to obtain the permit, but at some point we will hear from them and we will have to obtain a license. Director Jones explained again that we have collected perpetual care for many years so she recommended getting in compliance with the State and move on. Cont….. Cont… The Fifth Order of Business was an update on the tree beautification project, - Commissioner Harmon Commissioner Harmon was absent. Chairman Roys said he and Mr. Phil Sims of the Extension Office went to the cemetery to look at the possibility of a beautification project. Mr. Sims showed Chairman Roys the deterioration in several of the trees and recommended that action be taken immediately to take out and/or trim the trees. It was the opinion of the Commission that we take immediate action on taking out the three (3) magnolia trees and the one (1) oak tree because of the damage they could cause to the monuments. The other trees will be addressed later. Director Jones will get bids from two tree service companies. Chairman Roys stated that we needed to make sure they have liability insurance. The drawing below marks the trees that need to be taken out. The Sixth Order of Business a request by Mrs. Kathy Core naming the newest land addition to the Oakland Cemetery “Buford Smith Addition”. Commissioner Vaughn made the motion to approve the request. Died for lack of a second. New Business The First Order of Business was to discuss items not on the agenda. Director Jones asked that we move forward on the licensing with the state. She said we need to send it on to the City Council. Director Jones gave her letter to the Commission of her recommendation. The letter is as follows. K L A A N D Oakland Cemetery Russellville, Arkansas October 9, 2012 Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Chairman Mike Roys Russellville City Hall Russellville, AR 72801 Dear Mr. Roys and Commissioners: As Director of the Russellville Oakland Cemetery I recommend that we take the actions necessary to comply with all Arkansas state laws pertaining to perpetual care cemeteries. These actions include obtaining the required Perpetual Care Cemetery License and establishing a Trust. This Trust would be funded by perpetual care receipts and operated as dictated in the documents of its creation. Sincerely, Lequitta A. Jones Director of Oakland Cemetery The Commission said they agreed that we need to send it on to the City Council for their decision. The Second Order of Business was to prepare item(s) for handoff to City Council for their October 20, 2012 meeting. Alderman Steuber said he would take the recommendation to the City Council for actions necessary to comply with all Arkansas state laws pertaining to perpetual care cemeteries. Commissioner Vaughn seconded the motion and passed unanimously. Adjourn. Donna Eubanks Secretary