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 OCTOBER 20, 2021 A meeting of the Salem Cemetery Commission was held on October 20, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., via ZOOM, an online video conference call system. Present on the call were: Chair Beth Gerard, Members: Patricia Donahue and Jen Ratliff; Cemetery Superintendent Robert LeBlanc and Commission Clerk Joanne Roomey. Absent was Anthony O’Donnell. 1. Approve Cemetery Commission Meeting Minutes for September 15, 2021 Ms. Donahue made a motion to approve the Cemetery Commission Meeting Minutes for September 15, 2021. Seconded by Ms. Ratliff. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried unanimously. 2. Cemetery Work Report Interment Activities within the cemetery for the past month are: (5) Cremation burials (1) Full burials Charter St. Cemetery: Crowds have been large every time Mr. LeBlanc has gone to this site. The staff from the Welcome Center are doing a fantastic job. Very orderly and professional. They have had some more problems with the mowing crew contractor and their equipment bumping into headstones. They knocked over a foot stone last week and it was reported to Mr. LeBlanc by Elizabeth. Mr. LeBlanc photographed the stone and the marks on the front face where the mower had come in contact with the stone. The footstone is being stored in Elizabeth’s office for the time being. Mr. LeBlanc has contacted Jim and Minxie Fannin to review the damage and send a cost estimate for the repairs, if needed, and the re-setting of the monument. This cost will be covered by the lawn mowing contractors. Also at Charter Street Cemetery, there seems to be some vandalism going on. Mr. LeBlanc was called to look at the pedestrian gate on the Charter 1  Street side of the cemetery because someone had shaken the gate so violently that the tack weld had broken. Mr. LeBlanc had cemetery staff bring chains with locks and the two pedestrian entrances are now locked. The core aeration and fertilization of the lawn areas took place at the cemetery, and this is the final landscape operation for the year on the cemetery grounds. Many thanks go out to Ellen Talkowsky who donated 20-25 mums to the Greenlawn Cemetery this year. She was at the Topsfield Fair and had an opportunity to get some flowers that were on display, and she brought them for planting at Greenlawn Cemetery in the front entrance and circle. THANK YOU ELLEN!! The Dickson Chapel side door still has more work before it is finished. The craftsman that is working on the door has more hardware to add to complete the renovation of the two doors. Cemetery Staff added a smoke detector, a fire extinguisher, and some new light bulbs in the Dickson Chapel for the occupancy permit that is due to be renewed. 3. Martha Lyon- Cemetery Master Plan Update Ms. Lyon presented an update of the Greenlawn Cemetery Master Plan. She is working on Phase 3 now then onto Phase 4. The final public meeting will be hosted on ZOOM on November 30, 2021, more details will be distributed. For Master Plan Update, click on link: /cemetery- commission/files/greenlawn-cemetery-progress-presentation-10-20-21 Ms. Lyon's presentation focused in the following areas: 1. Updated Regulations, Policy Amendments and Ordinance Changes 2. Care of gravesites and re-use of un-used gravesites 3. Security and breach issues 4. Financing opportunities, trust funds, lot sales, grave openings, general funds and grants 4. Cemetery Residency Policy Review – Vote Shirley Marescalchi was on the call and reiterated what she said last month. She wants the commission to evaluate on a case-by-case manner and make an exception for her situation. The commission discussed changing the current policy regarding purchase of graves for former residents or leaving it the same and decided to maintain the current policy: 2  To be considered a former Salem Resident, the person must have resided in Salem for a minimum of one full year and moved from Salem within the last five (5) years to be grandfathered as a former Salem Resident. Proof of former residency is required before burial arrangements/services are made and former Resident pricing rates apply. The Cemetery Commission makes the final decision when the residency requirement is disputed. Grave purchases are by Salem residents for Salem residents only. Ms. Ratliff made a motion to maintain the current Cemetery Residency Policy as stated in the September 11, 2018 minutes. Ms. Donahue seconded. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried unanimously. 5. New Business Dave Knowlton, DPW Director, will talk to the commission regarding an Engineering review of sanitary upgrades to the Greenlawn facilities. 6. Adjournment: Ms. Donahue made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Ms. Ratliff. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:55 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