Oakland Cemetery Commission

Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Minutes June 15, 2021 The Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission met for the regular meeting on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Dining/Trophy Room. Attending in Person: Director Stephanie Warwick, Chairperson/Commissioner Mindy Hudson, Commissioner/Secretary Rebecca Howell, Commissioner Cindy Hlass, Commissioner Mary Schwartz, and City Council Liaison Phyllis Carruth Attending via GOOGLE MEETS: Vice Chairperson/Commissioner Kenneth Startup Absent: City Finance Director Robin Johnson, City Attorney Trey Smith, Mayor Richard Harris, Debi Headley from the Mayor’s Office, and visitor Sean Ingram from The Courier Chairperson Hudson thanked everyone for coming to tonight’s meeting of the Russellville Oakland Cemetery Commission Regular Meeting. She called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Old Business: The First Order of Business was to review and approve the minutes from the May 18, 2021, Cemetery Regular Meeting. The motion to approve the minutes was made by Commissioner Schwartz and seconded by Commissioner Hlass. The minutes were unanimously approved. The Second Order of Business was a presentation of the May 2021 Financial Report by Commissioner Schwartz, in the absence of Finance Director Johnson. Bank statement balances at May 31, 2021, support the balance sheet - Russellville Oakland Cemetery operating account $137,405.81 and Bank OZK perpetual care trust account $153,244.09. As noted on the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures, May revenues included a $40,000.00 transfer from the City of Russellville and a generous $500.00 gift. Commissioner Schwartz noted that the largest May expenditure was contract labor (mowing) of $2,800.00, and Director Warwick explained that the May printing & publishing amount of $457.12 was mainly for bid publication. Briefly discussed was the new Memorial Addition roadway being part of the $100,000.00 transfer of funds shown on the 2021 budget. The Third Order of Business was an open floor to the Public to address concerns/suggestions, and there were no visitors in attendance. The Fourth Order of Business was an update concerning the roadway for the Memorial Addition. Director Warwick will meet with the Public Works Dept. and the construction company on June 16 for a pre-construction meeting. Another meeting on June 24 will also take place. These meetings involve coordinating schedules, setting expectations, and getting acquainted. Details for Commissioners will be provided either in an email or at the next meeting of this Board. The Fifth Order of Business was an update concerning the interim grounds maintenance of Oakland, with a suggestion of placing for bid a grounds maintenance contract to run from August 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022 (a 17-month period). Director Warwick notified Commissioners in a May 21 email that the bids opened on May 12 were rejected by the Finance Committee and City Council, and that we can place the grounds maintenance contract(s) out for bid once again for the hope of competitive bidding. Commissioners agreed that, due to higher fuel and labor costs, we will no longer see a grounds maintenance contract at our budgeted amount of $31,800.00. New bids will be opened on June 29, and decisions will be made by Finance Committee and City Council. The Sixth Order of Business was a further discussion/planning for the construction of a fence along the east line of the cemetery (alongside Detroit Avenue). Director Warwick is now recommending that the new, shorter fence doesn’t need the concrete base that was originally planned. The fence does need manual sliding gates, to avoid swinging out into traffic lanes of Detroit Ave and/or swing into the cemetery itself and avoiding damage to grave stones. She is ready to send these ideas to Public Works Dept for advice with the schematics. Vice Chair Startup made a motion for Director Warwick to move forward with the fence design without concrete and with a flat top and with manual sliding gates, and for Director Warwick to create the schematics and take such to Public Works. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Schwartz and it passed unanimously. New Business: The First Order of New Business was a discussion about how much Commissioners enjoy meeting in the 2nd Floor Dining/Trophy Room, especially because of its smaller size and easier acoustics. Commissioner Hlass made a motion to move our meetings to 2nd Floor until further notice, and Chair Hudson seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Chairperson Hudson thanked everyone for coming and adjourned the meeting at about 6:08 p.m.