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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/20/1999 �. ..1 � � .. � t MINUTES OF LEBANON CENTETERY MEETING July 20, 1999 - 2:00 p.m. Apple Valley City Hall BOARD 1VIEiVIBERS PRESENT: Wilt Anderson, David Kemp, Reid Koepp, John Raiche, and Gary Wa�ner BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Math Fischer and David Quarberg OTHERS PRESENT: Public Works Director Dennis Miranowski, Public Works Supervisor Pat Flanders, Public Works Secretary Pamela Gackstetter, and Public Works Intern Andy Pederson. Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 2:Olp.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Koepp, approving the agenda for today's meeting as written. Motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF NIINUTES MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Wagner, approving the minutes of the May 17, 1999, meeting, as written. Motion passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS Public Assisted Lot SalesBurials Ms. Gackstetter distributed a memo from Dakota County Community Services regarding Public Assistance for Burial Costs. Dennis Miranowski summarized the memo from the County stating that the current maacimum cemetery benefit is $250 for the lot and $350 for opening and closing. Dakota County does not cover the costs for a monumendmarker. Upgrades and/or additional charges may be paid by the family. Mr. Miranowski recommended maintaining the rates adopted by the City Council by accepting public assistance and requiring families to make up the difference. He further recommended the City supply a simple cement marker upon request. Committee Member Wagner said small cement stones may be purchased for a couple of dollars. He further stated that Dakota and Hennepin Counties allow families to supplement public assistance benefits; however, some counties do not. He expressed concern that if the City allowed lot sales and/or burials that were funded by the minimum rates offered under � � ^ r public assistance, Lebanon Cemetery may be inviting requests for public assisted burials from all over the metro area. Committee Member Waaner said he believed the rates currently in effect by Dakota County were established years ago and suQ�ested the County Commissioners review its rate structure every 5 years. Chair Anderson said he would call Commissioner Branning and sug�est the County review its burial assistance benefits. Mr. Koepp asked if a family utilizing public assistance would be allo�ved to purchase any lot. NIr. Nliranowski said that if the City did not further discount the lot or associated char�es, the farnilies of public assisted burials would be allowed to pick any lot which they could afford. Committee Member Kemp arrived at 3:20 p.m. Committee Member Wagner asked how the cement markers would be marked with identification. Mr.Miranowski said the Public Works Director has templates it would use. Committee Member Kemp expressed concern that cement markers wear over time and can cause damage with mowers. He sug�ested using a metal plate marker. Mr. Miranowski stated he believed that concrete reinforced with fibermesh would last. Mr. Miranowski further said that if it becomes necessary to replace the cement markers many years down the road, the City would do so. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, recommending patrons utilitzing public assistance be charged the same rates as patrons not utilizing public assistance and as set by the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Koepp, offering recipients of public assistance the option to.receive a cement marker free of charge. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, amending the foregoing motion by requesting staff to ask recipients of public assistance if they can afford a marker prior to offering a free marker. Amendment passed unanimously. Vote was taken on the motion as amended. Motion passed unanimously. Fee Structure Mr. Miranowski said that City staff conducted a fee survey of 11 cemeteries. This was done to ensure the rates set for the expansion area were comparable to those charged by other cemeteries in the area. Mr. Miranowski summarized the survey by statin� that overall, the preliminary findin�s indicate Lebanon Cemetery's current fee structure is very low. When comparing the total costs for a lawn burial and marker, the fees set for the historic portion of Lebanon Cemetery are the lowest of the ll surveyed cemeteries. This held true for the lawn burial comparison as we11. Based on the these findings, Mr. Miranowski asked the 2 . , ; i • Committee if they wduld like staff to further investigate the market, review the rates, and � make a recommendation regarding fees. He then sug�ested the City may want to develop a tiered structure similar to other cemeteries; thus, providin�more options. Chair Anderson questioned whether the competition's rates used were the high- or low-end prices. Mr. Pederson stated he used the low-end rates for comparison. MOTION: of Anderson, seconded by Wagner, directin� staff to further investiQate how the City's current cemetery fees compare to the surrounding market, and to make a recommendation to the Committee on its findings. Motion passed unanimously. Committee Member Wagner questioned whether the City was �oing to require vaults for cremains. Should the City decide to require vaults for remains, Committee Member Kemp sugDested incorporating the cost of the vault into the opening and closing fee. Tree Memorial Fund Ms. Gackstetter presented the Committee with the idea of creating a Tree Memorial Fund whereby individuals could donate money to a city-specified treescape to beautify the cemetery. In turn, these individuals would be given an opportunity to memorialize their loved ones. Ms. Gackstetter said staff has not worked out all the details, but asked the Committee if this was a funding mechanism they would like staff to continue to develop. Chair Anderson said he thought it was a good idea. Committee Member Koepp suggested that the fund be called a Cemetery Beautification Fund and be expanded to include flowers and bushes. Committee Member Kemp agreed with the idea of a beautification fund stating that people want various ways to memorialize their loved ones and this provides one more opportunity. Chair Anderson said he would prefer the City did not create a plaque but instead gave donars a simple letter of thank you. The Committee discussed various options on what should be included in such a fund. Mr. Miranowski suggested staff look at all types of landscape as set forth in the Master Development Plan and come back with options. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, directing staff to develop a Landscape Beautification Fund in accordance with the Master Development Plan. Motion passed unanimously. Cemetery Brochure Mr. Miranowski said staff would like to prepare a brochure which could be used as a marketing tool and asked the Committee if it had any ideas or recommendations. Chair Anderson recommended looking at brochures prepared by other cemeteries. Committee Member Kemp said he would be happy to supply samples of brochures he has. Committee Member Wa�er suggested including planting policies and other related information. Mr. 3 . . j , , Miranowski said staff will come back to the Committee as staff progresses with the brochure. Cemetery Logo Mr. Miranowski said staff has also been pursuing the idea of creatina a cemetery logo that would have its own identity but tie into the City of Apple Valley. The Committee discussed various options for a logo. Committee Member Raiche su�gested incorporatin� the date in which the cemetery was established and possibly even the date the City of Apple Valley took over the cemetery. The Committee discussed various ideas for a cemetery logo. Pat Flanders sug�ested soliciting ideas from artistic employees and citizens. Committee Member Kemp cautioned that, as the City begins to desian various items relating to the cemetery, it does not publish the artists renderin�, but scales back the drawin�s before presenting them to the public so as not to over state and under deliver. Ground Penetrating Radar Results Andy Pederson reported the findings of the Global Positioning Radar (GPR) survey. Mr. Pederson stated the survey was done in the fall of 1998 in the north and northwest corner and the south and southeast corner of the existing cemetery. He stated the purpose of the GPR was to locate unmarked burials in the surveyed area in order to assist in the reclamation process and to assist in dig�ing of future burials. He further described to the Committee the methods of interpretation and possible misinterpretation and undetected burials. Mr. Pederson explained the GPR results and presented various possibilities based on said results. Based on the overall findings, Mr. Pederson said it is staff's recommendation to not sell any additional lots in the surveyed portion of the cemetery and to preserve the reclaimed property as greenspace. Chair Anderson asked if the information received from the GPR would be used in any other way. Mr. Pederson said it will also be used to assist the City in placement of future burials. Chair Anderson questioned why the whole cemetery was not surveyed. NIr. Miranowski said it was a decision based on cost and that the area surveyed was the portion where unmarked graves were most suspect. OLD BUSINESS Update on Cemetery Master Plan Mr. Miranowski informed the Committee that the City Council approved the Master Development Plan and authorized City staff to prepare plans and specs and cost estimates for the phasin� of the Plan. He further stated that staff is workin� with John Bergly on the phasing plan. Mr. Miranowski said it is staff's Qoal to complete as many of the improvements as possible with the remaining bond referendum money. At this time, it is � likely Phase 1 will include the road system, utilities, the parkin� lot, the fence along Pilot � , ' � . � � Knob Road and Cedar Avenue, and some trees. Mr. Miranowski said the removal of the ', top soil is scheduled to begin Au�ust 2. Mr. Miranowski further said, although he would like to install the road system this year, he would not jeopardize its quality by installing it � � this year if it would be better to wait until next spring. Chair Anderson asked if this was as far as staff thought the bond money would go towards making the improvements. Mr. Miranowski said he was pleased with the proposed scope of improvements. He further commented that althou�h the bond money �vas intended for the purchase of additional acreage as well as developing the essential components of the expansion area, including the road, fence, and other amenities; it was always the expectation that additional enhancements would be funded from future lot sales. Committee Member Wagner left at 4:10 p.m. Committee Member Koepp left at 4:11 p.m. ADJOURN MOTION: of Kemp, seconded by Raiche, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4:12 p.m. 5