Oakland Cemetery Commission

K L A A N D Oakland Cemetery Commission Meeting Agenda Tuesday, January 21, 2013 at 5:30 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 December 17, 2013 Cemetery Regular Meeting. 2. Financial Report – Finance Director Jerry McKaughan 3. A request to approve Albert’s Curbside Service Bid in the amount $3100.00. 4. Update: On the request from Claude Allen Hughes Family to disinter and reinter Claude Hughes, Jr. and wife Mary Hughes. Jones New Business 1. Discuss sending donation letter to property owners. Harris 2. Commissioners submit nominee(s) to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Hlass. 3. Discuss items not on the agenda. 4. Elect 2014 Officers 5. Prepare items for handoff to City Council for its February 20, 2014 Meeting. Adjourn.  Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Minutes January 21, 2014 The Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission met on Tuesday, January 21,2014 at 5:30 p.m., in the City Hall 2nd-Floor Conference Room at 203 South Commerce, Russellville, Arkansas. Attending were Chairman John Harris, Secretary Donna Eubanks, Commissioner Anna Fields, Commissioner Mindy Hudson, Finance Director Jerry McKaughan, Alderman Steuber, City Planner David Harris, City Attorney Trey Smith, Whitney Snipes, and Don & Gail Luthrell. Absent: Commissioner Patricia Petray and Director Lequitta A Jones. The meeting was called to order by Chairman John Harris at 5:30 p.m. Old Business: The First Order of Business was to review and approve minutes of the December 17, 2013 Cemetery Regular Meeting. Commissioner Fields made a motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Secretary Eubanks and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was the Financial Report given by Finance Director Jerry McKaughan. Mr. McKaughan gave the financial report to include the balance sheet and statement of revenue and expenditures for the month of December 2013 and stated both were in order. Mr. McKaughan asked when donations are received if they are not designated to either perpetual care or a certain project he felt the donation should go to the operation of the cemetery. Chairman Harris read Section (2) of Ordinance #2139; Any donations to Oakland Cemetery shall be deposited in Russellville Oakland Cemetery Fund (Fund 24) unless the donation is specifically made to the Permanent Maintenance Fund of Oakland Cemetery. Mr. McKaughan said at the end of December 2013 the balance of the Charles SCHWAB Account was $119,013 and had $80,000 in Genworth, which is a total $199,013. As of this afternoon, we rolled over $200,000.00. Mr. McKaughan went over the Oakland Cemetery Grave Operations and its fees breakdown per Ordinance #2139. Also stated 12 lots were sold last year, but we only had 2 transactions. The money sent to the Cemetery Commission in Little Rock was $14 for transaction fees, $300 for license, and $100 application fee. Chairman Harris asked if that was the only bid we got this year referring to (Larry Motley’s). Mr. McKaughan said we didn’t bid it because it was less than $20,000. Commissioner Steuber made the motion to approve the Financial Report as presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Fields and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request to approve Albert’s Curbside Tree Service Bid in the amount $3100.00. Chairman Harris said they submitted a bid on January 7, 2014. The bid 1 was for $3100.00 and it was not signed by the Carpenters, but I’m sure we can get it signed before we start the work. Commissioner Hudson said she didn’t want to delay this anymore, but asked if we got any more specifics. Mrs. Hudson said she felt the proposal should be itemized of what is going to be done for the $3100 so there is clarity between the customer and contractor. Commissioner Eubanks stated if my mind serves me correctly about two meetings back, Mr. Harris did you not give Mr. Carpenter a list of what needed to be done? Chairman Harris said yes, I believe there were three items which were the same that the arborist gave us. I gave that to the Carpenters saying this is what we want done. Secretary Eubanks said so he is trimming up the trees as he (Mr. Carpenter) and the arborist met and talked about. Chairman Harris said I don’t want to drag this out any longer. I wish he would have been a little more specific, because we gave him the 3 or 4 things to do. Chairman Harris said he would like to go over this with (Mr. Carpenter) before he starts cutting as a reminder what we are going to try and do these three or four things. Chairman Harris asked Alderman Steuber what he thought. Mr. Steuber said I think if you sent 10 people over there, arborist or tree trimmers, etc… you are going to have 10 different opinions what needs to be done. We started with Mr. Carpenter, we had a contract with him to cut these trees, we need to get on with trimming them, and we can get him before he starts to tell us or give us a list of what he is going to do. Chairman Harris said we need him to give us more specifics on what he is going to do. Chairman Harris said he felt the price is a reasonable price for doing what we said what we would do, but we need to get more specifics. Commissioner Fields said I think we need to trust Mr. Carpenter, with Secretary Eubanks agreeing. Commissioner Fields asked can’t we all say that Mr. Carpenter is an expert and we are going to trust his judgment. He is not an arborist and we are not speaking of an arborist. Commissioner Steuber said the bottom line Mr. Carpenter is a fairly young man and he has worked for the City in the past and I’m sure he would like to work for the City in the future. He is not going to screw his deal up over $3100. Finance Director McKaughan said when I get this bid back and it is signed by Mr. Carpenter and the City it will be a good bill. City Attorney Smith asked before he cuts. It was the opinion of City Attorney Smith the bid needs to be more specific and that someone needs to inspect the job. Alderman Steuber made the motion that we accept this $3100 bid and we have Lequitta Jones to talk with him and make sure this proposal is what we talked about or what has been talked about being done as far as trimming the trees. He has been over there with the arborist and he knows what we are talking about. Agreement with Mr. Carpenter Commissioner Hudson said (9 foot canopy, removing dead or broken branches, on one magnolia an in weight reduction on one side, and removing the suckers, and removal of debris). Chairman Harris said (2 tree end-weight reduction, remove dead branches, remove excess water sprouts, weight canopy 9 feet on the willow, on the half tree it is clean up). That is what I gave Mr. Carpenter. 2 Alderman Steuber rephrased his motion. Mr. Steuber made the motion that we accept this $3100 bid and Finance Director McKaughan put these three items on top of the contract and if Mr. Carpenter will sign it we are good to go. Commissioner Eubanks seconded the motion and passed unanimously. Fourth Order of Business an Update: On the request from Claude Allen Hughes Family to disinter and reinter Claude Hughes, Jr. and wife Mary Hughes. Jones Tabled until next month for a report from Director Jones. New Business First Order of Business (Not on Agenda) Gail Lutrell said we have a lot that we would like to have filled in. We have a baby buried there since 1966. We have just a small foot monument there now. Mrs. Lutrell said we want to put up a monument where we want to be buried. The water, when it rains, stands in there really bad. It has gotten progressively worse; I guess whenever they were putting up the fence. They ran over the little grave stone and about half buried it and I talked to them at that time and they lifted it up but didn’t fill in any at all and it really needs to be filled in. They stated they would be glad to give a donation toward that. They stated when it rains water stands ankle deep. For Record Only (Gardner Addition #66) Chairman Harris told the Lutrell’s that we would try to come up with a plan of action if the weather permits by the next meeting and would contact them. Address: Don and Gail Lutrell, 1123 Mourning Dove Lane 968-2516. Several of the Commissioners said they were going over and look at the drainage situation. Alderman Steuber is going to report back to the Commission next month. The Second Order of Business (Agenda Item #1) Discuss sending donation letter to property owners. Harris Chairman Harris said the Lutrell’s are a good example, if we were sending letters annually to property owners in the cemetery asking for some kind of donation we probably would collect some. Chairman Harris asked if everyone is in agreement that this is something we want to move forward on. Obviously, talk to Lequitta Jones about it, and the mechanics of getting it done. Commissioner Hudson said if it was put in the right fashion, but just to say we need money. Commissioner Steuber said the only problem I have with that it is a City owned cemetery and the City has been maintaining it and is still maintaining it out of General Fund. I don’t think the City Council right now would, but I’ve been a part of the Council in the past and if you start eluding to the fact that the descendants ought to be supporting the cemetery the first thing you know someone will be wanting to give up the funding. City Attorney Trey Smith said the way it is now the City funds it based on the income it receives and there is no need for donations unless it is a voluntary donation. Mr. Steuber said the City funds it right now and what I am saying is if we start trying to get donations first thing you know we could wind up with a Mayor/City Council saying we’ll let those folks fund it. City Attorney Smith said I don’t see any way the City could not fund it. Mr. Steuber said what I’m trying to say everything is going good. Secretary Eubanks said in the past when we sent out a donation letter it was for a specific goal, a project which was to put up a fence. Mr. Steuber said since this 3 board was established everything has been going great, it is unreal how much better that place has been maintained. Mr. Steuber said I can remember the time people working here at the City really didn’t have a clue what was going on. City Attorney said yes prior to 1999. The Commission decided to look at this later whenever looking at a certain project. The Third Item of Business (Agenda Item #2) Commissioners submit nominee(s) to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Hlass. None. The Fourth Item of Business (Agenda Items #3) Discuss items not on the agenda. None The Fifth Order of Business (Agenda Item #4) Elect 2014 Officers. Tabled until next month. The Sixth Order of Business (Agenda Item #5) Prepare items for handoff to City Council for its February 20, 2014 Meeting. None Adjourned. Secretary Donna Eubanks 4