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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/16/2001 * • � MINUTES OF LEBANON CEMETERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING January 16,2001 -2:00 p.m. Apple Valley City Hall COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Wilt Anderson, Ranee Hadley, Gary Humphrey, David Kemp,Reid Koepp,John Raiche, and Gary Wagner COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: Public Works Director Nea1 Heuer, Administrative Assistant to the City Administrator Andy Pederson, Public Works Supervisor Pat Flanders, and Public Works Administrative Secretary Pamela Gackstetter Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m. Ranee Hadley and Gary Humphrey took the Cemetery Advisory Committee oath of office as witnessed by Pamela Gackstetter. Chair Anderson welcomed the new members to the Committee and provided a brief overview of the purpose and importance of the Cemetery Advisory Committee. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Koepp, approving the agenda for toda.y's meeting as written. Mation passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: of Kemp, seconded by Wagner, approving the minutes of the October 17, 2000, meeting, as written. Humphrey and Hadley abstained,motion passed. NEW BUSINESS Election of 2001 Officers MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Humphrey, opening the nomination for officers. Motion passed unanimously. Chair Anderson asked for nomina.tions for Chair. Committee Member Humphrey nominated Wilt Anderson. Hearing no others, Chair Anderson asked for nominations for Secretary. Committee Member Wagner nominated Reid Koepp. Committee Member Koepp nominated Gary Wagner. There were no further nominations. � • ' MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Kemp, closing the nomination for the election of officers. Motion passed unanimously. The Cemetery Advisory Committee held a secret vote on the appointment of Secretary. Committee Member Wagner received one vote; Committee Member Koepp received six votes. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Kemp, appointing Wilt Anderson Chair and Reid Koepp Secretary of the Lebanon Cemetery Advisory Committee for 2001. Motion passed unanimously. Set Regular Meeting Schedule for 2001 Pamela Gackstetter reviewed the tentative meeting schedule for the remainder of 2001. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, setting April 17, July 17, and October 16 as regular meeting dates in 2001; with meetings to begin at 2:00 p.m., at the Apple Valley City Hall. Motion passed unanimously. Cemetery Advisory Committee Vacancies/Appointments Andy Pederson reviewed the recent Committee appointments as approved by the City Council on January 11. Mr. Pederson stated that Committee Member Humphrey's appointed term ends Mazch 1,2002; and Committee Member Hadley's appointed term ends March 1,2001. However, considering the current term of Council Member Hadley, it is the City Council's intent to automatically reappoint Ms. Hadley for an additional three-year term on March 1, 2001, ending March 1, 2004. Mr. Pederson stated that Committee Member Koepp's term will end on March 1, 2001, as well, and recommended Mr. Koepp draft a letter to the City Council expressing his interest in continuing as a member of the Cemetery Advisory Committee. Activity Report Pamela Gackstetter reviewed the Lebanon Cemetery Activity Report, noting that fourth quarter activity included 71ot sales, 2 returns, and 5 burials. Tota1 activity for 2000 included 441ot sales, 10 returns, and 22 burials, which represents almost a 50 percent increase as compared to 1999. Committee Member Humphrey said he would be interested to leazn how may lots were sold to Dakota County residents versus non-Dakota County residents. He further inquired as to the number of public assisted burials. Ms. Gackstetter said the majority of lots sold aze to residents of Dakota County,but she would get the exact number for the next meeting. She further stated there has been only one public assisted burial of which the City is aware since the City took over the cemetery in December of 1998. Committee Member Kemp asked future reports to include a breakdown of at-need versus pre-need sales. Ms. Gackstetter said she would include a pre-need versus at-need breakdown on future reports. 2 � � � Budget Update As requested at the last meeting, Andy Pederson presented the fund balance information for both the regular cemetery fund and the cemetery bond referenduxn. Mr. Pederson said it is important to spend the bond money first and the sign and fence project should ea�haust the remaining balance. Chair Anderson questioned if the funds were adequate to complete the projects necessary to open the expansion�a�ea in June. Mr. Pederson said that based on the report provided by the Finance Department, adequa.te funds should be available between the two funds to complete the fence and sign project, the lot survey and corner marker installation, install new flagpoles, and purchase a columbarium. A limited amount of landscaping may be included as well; however, the majority of landscaping and additional improvements will be made utilizing dollazs from the regular fund, as they become available from additional lot sales. Mr. Pederson further stated that upon completion of the installation of the corner lot markers in Phase I of the expansion area, lots could be sold even without the completion of the fence and sign or other improvements. Committee Member Kemp asked if the regular cemetery fund included perpetual care dollazs. Mr. Pederson said it did. Committee Member Kemp stated he believed only the interest, and not the principle, could be spent on such improvements. Mr. Pederson said he would further investigate the matter with Finance Director George Ballenger. Construction/Expansion Update So as to assist the two new committee members as well as to provide a review for existing members, Andy Pederson recapped construction activities from 2000 and listed the existing goals for 200 L Committee Member Humphrey left the meeting at 3:44 p.m. Mr. Pederson also provided a brief summary of the Landscape Committee's acrivities over the last year,which included developing a landscape master plan. Committee Member Humphrey returned at 3:47 p.m. The Committee discussed various aspects of the expansion project. Committee Member Humphrey recommended the existing flagpole not be removed or the new flagpoles be installed prior to Memorial Day if possible. He further recommended that the grounds be tidied up prior to Memorial Day. Mr. Heuer said he is working on the flagpole project and would keep the Memorial Day holiday in mind. Mr. Pederson said the Committee has established a cleanup schedule and maintenance personnel would ensure the grounds aze cleaned up and the flag is in good repair prior to the holida.y. Committee Member Hadley asked about flying the United States flag at night if it is not lit. Ms. Gackstetter said she had investigated this for the Committee a couple of years ago, and it is her 3 , � � . understanding that it can be flown at night without direct lighting as long as there is enough light so as to differentiate the colors. Lot Markers Andy Pederson updated the Committee regarding the engraving and placing of corner lot markers in Phase I of-the expansion azea as well as the southern and eastern portions of the existing cemetery. He also passed around an engraved marker for the Committee's review. Committee Member Koepp questioned who would be surveying the lots. Mr. Pederson said staff intends to hire a professional surveyor with cemetery experience to stake the lots. However, in order to keep the cost down, the surveyor may utilize the assistance of one or more City maintenance employees to complete the task. Mr. Pederson said he is soliciting quotes from engineering companies at this time. Committee Member Hadley asked what the total number of available lots is in the expansion azea. Mr. Pederson said there are approximately 1,500 cremation lots and over 6,000 traditionallots in the expansion azea. At this time, only Phase I will be surveyed and opened for sale. This allows the City the option to adjust the type of lots in future areas to meet clients' needs and trends. Sign and Fence Andy Pederson recapped the sign and fence project. Committee Member Keopp asked of what material the sign would be constructed. Mr. Pederson said it would be a cast stone, beige in color, so as to compliment the red colored brick columns. Committee Member Humphrey asked whether the fence would be similar to that on the ring route. Mr. Pederson said the cemetery fence will be made of aluminum. It has a lifetime guarantee and was less expensive than the wrought iron. Chair Anderson said he is anxious for Phase I of the expansion area to open and wished the sign and fence project could have been bid with a completion date of May 15. Mr. Heuer said a more restrictive time frame may have resulted in a higher bid. Dakota County Public Assistance Burial Policy Update Mr. Pederson updated the Committee on Dakota. County's public assistance burial policy stating that at its meeting in December of 2000, the Community Services Committee approved a reimbursement increase for public assisted burials. The revised cemetery benefit is $750 and may be used for any services provided by the cemetery to individuals on public assistance. Mr. Pederson said it is the cemetery's current policy that families must supplement the public assistance benefit if the services requested exceed the benefit amount. Phase I Purchasing Requirements Andy Pederson sta.ted that staff reviewed the policy regarding lot sales in monument rows in the expansion area. Staff recommends allowing customers to purchase the lots they choose with the 4 , • � only requirement being that purchases made in monument rows must adjoin an existing sale or maintain a minimum of two open lots. The Committee agreed with staffl s proposal. Mr. Pederson said sta.ff will incorporate this change into the policies and procedures as they are updated. Accept Cemetery Report for 2000 As directed by Ordinance 653, Chapter 22, Section 5, the Cemetery Advisory Committee is to submit to the City Council an annual report on or before March 1 of each year. Mr. Pederson reviewed the draf� report and asked if the Committee wished to revise it. Two typographical errors were noted in the first pazagraph: potion to portion and purchase to purchased. MOTION: of Keopp, seconded by Raiche,to accept the 2000 Cemetery Advisory Committee annual report as corrected and to request staff to forward it to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. Burial Transfer Policy As directed at the last Committee meeting, staff further investigated the possibility of reducing rates to make a burial transfer into the expansion azea more economically feasible. Mr. Pederson reviewed with the Committee the revision to the policy as recommended by staff. For a limited time, disinterment and re-interment fees for burial transfers from the historic section of the cemetery to the Phase I expansion area will be at a reduced rate. Parties requesting a burial transfer would incur the following: Costs associated with the purchase of a lot in the expansion area; one current grave/urn digging fee for the disinterment and re-interment; monument or marker location fees; financial responsibilities associated with the transfer of the vault; and any other associated or related costs. Such internal transfers within the cemetery shall be limited to May 1 through November 1, in the years 2001 and 2002. This policy is limited to transfers into the Phase I expansion area only. All such requests are subject to the approval of the Cemetery Superintendent. The vacated lot in the existing cemetery could be transferred back to the City for the original price paid per Ordinance 653, Section 22-1 l. That amount could then be applied as credit towards the costs associated with the burial in the expansion area. In other words, the only change in policy would be the elimination of a second grave or urn digging fee. All other costs would remain the same. MOTION: of Humphrey, seconded by Raiche, to reduce the overall fee of a burial transfer from the historic portion of the cemetery to the Phase I expansion area by eliminating one of the two grave or urn digging fees required to disinter and re- 5 � � � inter the remains. Such internal transfers within the cemetery will be limited to May 1 through November 1 in the years 2001 and 2002, and are subject to the approval of the Cemetery Superintendent. Committee Member Wagner asked who would be responsible to move and pay for the vault. Mr. Pederson stated that the coordinating and hiring of the vault company as well as the financial responsibility�vould be that of the requesting party. Committee Member Kemp questioned what happens to the rates following 2002. Mr. Pederson said that following the promotional period rates would be chazged according to the regular rate and fee schedule. Committee Member Kemp said it may be wise to state that in the policy. Committee Member Keopp asked if the amounts were charged per lot or per disinterment. Mr. Pederson said the fees are per disinterment. Motion passed unanimously. ADJOURN MOTION: of Keopp, seconded by Wagner, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting was adjourned. Approved: 6