Cemetery Commission

CITY OF SALEM MASSACHUSETTS BETH GERARD, CHAIR CEMETERY COMMISSION 98 WASHINGTON STREET - MAILING ADDRESS BOARD MEMBERS PATRICIA DONAHUE SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 01970 KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL ANTHONY O’DONNELL TEL. (978)745-0195 JEN RATLIFF MAYOR FAX (978) 741-7041 MINUTES OF THE CEMETERY COMMISSION March 17, 2021 A meeting of the Salem Cemetery Commission was held on March 17, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., via ZOOM, an online video conference call system. Present on call were: Chair Beth Gerard, Members: Patricia Donahue, Jen Ratliff, Anthony O’Donnell; Tree Warden Robert LeBlanc and Joanne Roomey, Commission Clerk. 1. Approve Cemetery Commission Minutes for February 17, 2021 Ms. Ratliff made a motion to approve the Cemetery Commission Minutes of February 17, 2021. Seconded by Ms. Donahue. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried. 2. Robert LeBlanc: Cemetery Work Report • Interment Activities within the cemetery for the past month are: (4) Cremation burials (3) Full burials • The following is an update on the spring clean-up work at the cemeteries. The Christmas wreaths are still being collected around the grounds, with over 2,000 laid out in December. The staff has been working on top dressing some of the recent burial sites and keeping up with the ruts from tire tracks etc. Fence work was started at the Broad St. Cemetery and the repairs to the section that blew down during a windstorm in January. The plan is to make necessary repairs and get the fence up and look for a more permanent solution at a later date. • Two other projects that will be addressed this spring are the building of a concrete foundation near the Fountain Pond to accommodate the new donated bench. Secondly, the trellis work in front of the office, where the wisteria shrubs are growing will be reinforced with sturdier pressure treated timbers and stood back up. • With the lifting of the State ban on the size of gatherings, the Cemetery Department will announce an update of the gathering policy for burials at Greenlawn. The funeral Directors will be notified that the number will be raised from (10) to (25), starting on April 1, 2021. 1  • Starting on Monday March 22nd, the Cemetery Staff will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccinations. We are all looking forward to this long-awaited opportunity. 3. Broad Street Cemetery Preservation Plan Update: Martha Lyon The Broad Street Cemetery Preservation Plan Goal is “to devise a plan for preserving and enhancing the Broad Street Cemetery landscape, improving appearance, restoring access, and expanding the cemetery’s role in interpreting Salem’s history to residents and visitors.” Through the use of Community Preservation Act funds, the City hired Martha Lyon Landscape Architects as the lead consultant along with stone conservator Fannin-Lehner Preservation Consultants and structural engineer Structures North to begin working on the historic burial ground. Ms. Lyon’s presented a PowerPoint regarding the Broad Street Cemetery Preservation Plan. For more information, please click on link: https://www.preservingsalem.com/broad-street-cemetery-preservation-plan 4. Alms House Memorial Monument update: Jen Ratliff Back in October 2020, the commission approved to erect a monument at Collins Cove to memorialize the Almshouse Burial Grounds. As of last week, the monument has been erected. Please see link below for Jen Ratliff’s blog: https://www.historybythesea.com/almshouse-burial-ground-memorial-salem 5. Gen. Fredrick West Lander Plaque Request/Broad St. Cemetery: Kim Emerling Mr. Emerling wants to rededicate and remark the monument of General Fredrick West Lander’s tomb. General Lander’s was born in Salem, MA and was a Civil War Union Brigadier General. The U.S. government employed him on transcontinental surveys to select a route for a Pacific railroad. On March 2, 1862, General Lander’s died from complications of pneumonia. The Veterans council will pay for the $3,500 plaque and O’Rourke Brothers Memorials will do the mounting. Please see link below for picture of plaque: https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:2b88r2325 6. Salem United Request for Stone Renovation/ Recognition for Afro-American Heritage: Doreen Wade Doreen Wade, the President and Director of Salem United Inc., was present at the meeting and wants to start a project for the African American section of the Howard Street Cemetery. The commission advised Ms. Wade to start the process by contacting Patty Kelleher from the Planning Department and to work with Mr. LeBlanc. Ms. Ratliff also offered to help with the search. The commission agreed to write a letter supporting the project for the African American section of the Howard Street Cemetery project. 2 7. Greenlawn Pond Fountains Replacement Request: Bob LeBlanc Mr. LeBlanc wants to replace two of the fountains at the Greenlawn Cemetery and will use $18,000 from the Perpetual Care Fund. Ms. Ratliff made a motion to replace the Greenlawn Pond Fountains. Anthony O’Donnell seconded. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried unanimously. 8. Comments from the Public: None 9. New Business: The Cemetery Commission agreed to have their meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. 10. Next Meeting Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via ZOOM. 11. Adjournment: Ms. Donahue made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Ms. Ratliff. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Joanne M. Roomey Commission Clerk Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A §18-25 and City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033 3