Oakland Cemetery Commission

Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Minutes July 22, 2014 The Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission met on Tuesday , July 22, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. In the Council Chambers Conference Room for the regular monthly meeting. Attending: Director Lequitta A. Jones, Chairman / Alderman Garland Stueber, Commissioner / Secretary Mindy Hudson, Commissioner / Vice-Chairman John Harris, Commissioner Patricia Petray, Commissioner Anna Fields, Commissioner Rebecca Howell, Commissioner Donna Eubanks, Finance Director Jerry McKaughan, and reporter Laura Bean for the Courier. Absent: Alderman Harris. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. By Chairman Garland Stueber. Old Business: The First Order of Business was to approve the minutes from the June 24, 2014 regular meeting. Commissioner Eubanks made a motion to approve the minutes and was seconded by Commissioner Fields. The motion passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was to review the financial report presented by Finance Director McKaughan. Commissoner John Harris made a motion to approve the report. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Howell. The motion was unanimously passed. There was some discussion of a side issue concerning a car accident that caused some damage on the South West end of the cemetery. Director Jones explained what had happened and that the driver was being prosecuted. The Third Order of Business that was discussed concerned the tree-pruning project. Work on three main trees had been finished. Commissioner Fields made a motion to pay the contractor for completion of the project. Commissioner Eubanks seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously. There was some discussion about the voluntary cherry tree to be removed and an agreement that if the contractor needs a release of future liability for damage to the closest monument after the tree has been removed, he should be given one. The Fourth Order of Business was a discussion about the monument repair project. The City Attorney advised the commission that if we break a monument, we have it repaired. Some of the commissioners will look at a section at a time to assess what needs to be done, and then quotes for the repair work will be obtained. As an ongoing project, the item will be brought up again next month. The Fifth Order of Business was a discussion about the mayor's request that the commission look into using land purchased on the West side of the cemetery. After discussion, the commission decided to ask the mayor to next month's meeting to talk about the cost of the procedure to prepare this area compared to the benefits of having new grave sites. New Business: The First Order of New Business concerned placing posts at the entrances of the cemetery with holders for signs. Chairman Stueber will talk to someone who can place these for the commission. There was also some last discussion about the disinterment / re-interment that had been completed. Chairman Stueber adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m.