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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/17/2007 Cemetery Advisory Minutes 4-17-2007 Page 1 of 4 MINUTES OF LEBANON CEMETERY MEETING April 17, 2007 - 2 00 p.m. Apple Valley City Hall BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Wilton Anderson, David Kemp, Alan Kohls, Gary Wagner BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT Robert Harvey, Paula Moore, Harry Wolter OTHERS PRESENT Public Works Director Neal Heuer Public Works Superintendent Mike Glewwe Public Works Assistant Jean Bryant Nancy Anderson Chair Wagner called the meeting to order at 2 03 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION of Kemp, seconded by Kohls, approving the agenda for today's meeting as written. Motion passed unanimously AUDIENCE There was no one present to speak. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION of Wagner, seconded by Kemp, approving the minutes of the January 16, 2007, meeting, as written. Motion passed unanimously NEW BUSINESS A. Resolution Reappointing Cemetery Advisory Committee Members Committee Members Harvey and Moore were reappointed to the Cemetery Advisory Committee. Their terms expire March 1, 2010 B Committee Member Addresses and Phone Numbers The updated Council, Commission and Committee Members information is included m the agenda packet. C Activity Report Ms. Bryant reviewed the Lebanon Cemetery Activity Report for first quarter There were 15 lot/niche sales in the first quarter 11 to residents and 3 to non-residents, 9 sales were preneed and 6 were at need. There was one double niche sale. There were 9 burials 8 traditional and 1 cremation. There were 2 transfers. D Maintenance and Grounds http.//www ci.apple-valley.mn.us/Mmutes/Cemetery/2007/04-17-07.htm 4/14/2009 Cemetery Advisory Minutes 4-17-2007 Page 2 of 4 Mr Glewwe stated the cemetery maintenance has included plowing snow and salting, removing dead flowers, replacing all three flags, and filling settled graves. The recent snow put work behind schedule. Upcoming work includes top dressing and hydroseeding where needed, preparing flower beds, and unwrapping trees. A lowering device for cremation vaults has been ordered. An electric line was hit while digging a cremation grave. The line ran across the lot. Mr Glewwe plans on having the line located and moved so it does not run across lots. Chair Wagner asked how often flags are replace. Mr Glewwe responded up to five times a year, depending on quality of flag and weather conditions. He plans on trying a little better quality flag, of polyester, that won't wear as fast but won't fade before it's worn. Committee Member Anderson expressed his appreciation for all of the work Mr Glewwe does at the cemetery, which is only a part of his responsibilities for the City Mr Glewwe mentioned many people have volunteered to help with cemetery maintenance. They are given access to supplies in the shed so they can come when it works for them. Some will help with the flowers, and there is always litter to pick up E. Columbaria, Spaces, Fence Mr Heuer addressed questions from the January meeting as to time lines for development. The next columbarium purchase is in the Capital Improvements Program for 2008 Footings for the other two Columbaria in that area would be installed, also Completing the fence around the cemetery hinges on development of the surrounding Fischer property (the Kohls farm) The berm on the south side then can be removed and the main entry on the south side can be finished. The fence and main entry may happen m 2009, but more realistically m 2010 Staff has been looking at lot availability for the future. Chair Wagner asked if the vases are available for the columbarium. Ms. Bryant answered yes, and sales would be ongoing. Chair Wagner asked if niche paces will go up with installation of the second columbarium. Mr Heuer stated possibly Committee Member Anderson asked if the first columbarium is sold out. Mr Heuer responded it is about 50 percent sold. Committee Member Kemp suggested having pre-construction purchases at a lower cost. When construction begins, purchases in the second columbarium would be at the new prices, but the first columbarium would maintain current prices. When the second columbarium is completed, the first columbarium prices would increase to the level of the second columbarium. Mr Heuer stated burials for the second columbarium could be temporarily stored in the first columbarium until construction is completed. Chair Wagner asked how many burials a columbarium provides. Ms. Bryant answered it provides 124 burials, there are 48 double inches and 28 single inches. F Changes to Price List Mr Heuer presented staff s suggestions for changes to the General Price List. Prices for the cremation boulders and accessories went up this year so paces need to be adjusted. Chair Wagner asked what the boulders are and where the ashes go Mr Heuer explained they are granite. They are core drilled and the ashes go right in the rock. A cover seals it. Chair Wagner asked how big the boulders are. Ms. Bryant replied about 24 inches. Mr Heuer stated staff is working on an area for the boulders to be placed by existing pine trees where lots cannot be sold. Committee Member Kemp said it's a good way to make use of areas like that. Chair Wagner asked if the ashes are placed in an urn first or Just right in the receptacle. Committee Member Kemp said there is a liner for the receptacle. Ashes can be m a small urn or other container Committee Member Kohls asked about the emblem and portrait. Mr Heuer explained they are two different things. One is Just an emblem, the other is a portrait that can be made from a photograph. Committee members agreed to the suggested price changes. G Size of Monument and Footings http.//www ci.apple-valley.mn.us/Minutes/Cemetery/2007/04-17-07.htm 4/14/2009 Cemetery Advisory Minutes 4-17-2007 Page 3 of 4 Mr Glewwe asked if there is a certain size or weight when footings are needed for a monument rather than dust a slab Committee Member Kohls said concrete bases are 6 to 14 inches deep Committee Member Kemp said more and more cemeteries are going to slabs for ease of leveling settled monuments. If the monument is wider than about 3.5 feet, they pour concrete. Slabs are more economical and provide a uniform appearance. He will find out what the Catholic Cemeteries require. Chair Wagner asked if there are settling problems. Mr Glewwe said there are some. Howevex, the ground in the newer sections is hard and lots have enough length so monuments can be placed on undisturbed ground. Committee Member Kohls said eventually all monuments will settle. Committee Member Kemp asked what is placed under a foundation. Mr Glewwe said usually the installer has a tittle sand for leveling purposes. OTHER BUSINESS A. City News Article Chair Wagner pointed out the article requesting cemetery volunteers and thought rt an attractive and informative article. He asked about the publication. Ms. Bryant stated rt was the City newsletter which goes out quarterly Chair Wagner asked Mr Glewwe if he gets a group to clean the cemetery before Memorial Day Mr Glewwe said, yes, they try to get them out before Memorial Day to spruce up the cemetery and to hydroseed and do other maintenance. He tries to get volunteers out before mayor holidays, including Memorial Day, Mothers Day, and 4th of July He stated the flower pots at the corner will be raised. Chair Wagner noted that a $150 donation was received from Marlene Fridland for the cemetery beautification fund. B Minnesota Association of Cemeteries Article Ms. Bryant said there will be an article on Lebanon Cemetery in the next quarterly newsletter of the Minnesota Association of Cemeteries. The article uses a question and answer format and includes information on the cemetery and some on Ms. Bryant. Committee Member Anderson noted he wrote articles for many papers regarding the cemetery -Pioneer Press, the Tribune, This Week, Sun Current. "For a while there, everyone was interested in the cemetery "Chair Wagner said it is a pretty cemetery and the City has done a very good fob with it. He shared the memory of Wilt thinking, "What are we going to do with the cemetery?" (Just the original section.) He added that when Wilt talks about his meetings with his coffee pot in his truck, he keeps thinking "that's the way a lot of cemeteries still are." But now it's part of the City of Apple Valley and maintained very well and, of course, there's a certain amount of funds used for it. He's had nothing but good comments about rt. Chair Wagner thanked Committee Member Anderson for being the chairman of this committee for so long. He expressed gladness for the presence of Wilton and that he hopes and prays everything goes all right m the future weeks. He offered the floor to him for any comments. Committee Member Anderson said, "Sincerely, rt has been my pleasure and a privilege to serve the City and work with such a fine City staff and see the cemetery evolve as it has over the last 18 years. This really brings boy to my heart. I should be thanking all the City staff: Neal, Jean, Pam Gackstetter, and Michael. They're the ones who make this happen." Committee Member Kohls said that if it wasn't for Committee Member Anderson, his parents would not be buried on their farm. He is extremely thankful. He is impressed with the cemetery People tell him how beautiful it looks. That means a lot to him, his family, and the people of http.//www ci.apple-valley.mn.us/Minutes/Cemetery/2007/04-17-07.htm 4/14/2009 Cemetery Advisory Minutes 4-17-2007 Page 4 of 4 this community It is a premier cemetery Committee Member Anderson said, "We've come a long way together, all of us!" Chair Wagner stated, "The City and this Committee thank you!" ADJOURN MOTION of Anderson, seconded by Kemp, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously Meeting adjourned at 2 53 p.m. Approved. July 17, 2007 http.//www ci.apple-valley.mn.us/Minutes/Cemetery/2007/04-17-07.htm 4/14/2009