Oakland Cemetery Commission

Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Minutes March 15, 2016 The Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission met for the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. on the second floor in the Council Chambers Conference Room. Attending: Director Stephanie Warwick, City Attorney Trey Smith, Chairman Garland Steuber, Vice- Commissioner/Secretary Mindy Hudson, Commissioner Rebecca Howell, Commissioner Anna Fields, Commissioner Patricia Petray, City Council Liaison Eric Westcott, Finance Director Jerry McKaughan, Mayor Randy Horton, and visitor Sean Ingram from the Courier. Absent: Commissioner Donna Eubanks and Vice-Chairman/Commissioner David Lee. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Chairman Garland Steuber. Old Business: The First Order of Business was considering the minutes from the February 16, 2016, Cemetery Regular Meeting for approval. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Commissioner Fields. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Petray and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was the monthly financial report. City Finance Director McKaughan noted that the cemetery fund has $61,698 in total assets. One expense was $981.48 paid in for Cemetery Perpetual Care. After looking at an audit and being told that gain and loss had to be included, the Director had to refund back $736 [which made up part of the $981.48.] This amount had been part of the $2000 drawn from interest in January. Moving on, the Schwab account was also noted to show a gain. The Third Order of Business was the Director Warwick's monthly Overall Operations Report. 1. Operations again were normal for the month. 2. The Director has spoken with the head of All Season's Lawn Service about the mowing season. She hopes for the cemetery to be mowed and cleaned up before Easter. 3. Director Warwick also discussed the implementation of a new computer program for record keeping of the cemetery burials and information of plot owners. There will be a link from the city's web page that will take people to the new “cloud” database. Public viewing will be possible in two to three weeks. The first five years of maintenance fees will be paid for by the city, with the cemetery fund paying the yearly fee [currently $1200] after this. The Director hopes in the near future to show the commission what this program can do. 4. Thanks was given to Liaison Westcott and Mayor Horton for removing the discarded headstone from the cemetery. The stone will be stored until it is assessed for reuse. New Business: The First Order of Business was discussion of implementing a Decoration Day. Liaison Westcott made a motion for May 1, 2016 to be designated as the first Decoration Day for Oakland Cemetery. Commissioner Fields seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. The details and timing are yet to be decided. The Second Order of Business was a request by Chairman Steuber that he be allowed to remove a small, volunteer tree growing in a grave halfway along Detroit between 8th and 11th Streets. Permission was given. The Third Order of Business was a request by Director Warwick that the individuals on the commission be thinking of bushes and future plantings for the new addition. The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 PM.