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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/17/1999 � • MINUTE5 OF LEBANON CEMETERY ADVISORY CONIMITTEE MEETING May 17, 1999-2:00 p.m. Apple Valley City Hall COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Wilt Anderson, David Kemp, Reid Koepp, John Raiche, and Gary Wagner CONIlVIITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Math Fischer and David Quarberg OTHERS PRESENT: Public Works Director Dennis Miranowski, Assistant Public Works Director Neal Heuer, Assistant to the City Administrator Charles Grawe, Public Works Supervisor Pat Flanders, Public Works Secretary Pamela Gackstetter, and Public Works Intern Andy Pederson. Dennis Miranowski called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Koepp, approving the agenda for today's meeting. Motion passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS Oath of Office City Clerk Mary Mueller administered the oath of office to Cemetery Advisory Committee Members: Wilt Anderson,Reid Koepp,John Raiche, and Gary Wagner. Election of 1999 Officers MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Anderson, opening the nomination for officers. Motion passed unanimously. Dennis Miranowski asked for nominations for Chair. Committee Member Wagner nominated Wilt Anderson. Hearing no others, Dennis Miranowski asked for nominations for Secretary. Committee Member Raiche nominated Gary Wagner. Committee Member Wagner nominated Reid Koepp. 1 • • There were no further nominations. MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Anderson, closing the nomination for the election of officers. Motion passed unanimously. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, appointing Wilt Anderson Chair of the Lebanon Cemetery Advisory Committee for 1999. Motion passed unanimously. The Cemetery Advisory Committee held a secret vote on the appointment of Secretary. Committee Member Wagner received three votes, Committee Member Koepp received one vote. MOTION: of Koepp, seconded by Raiche, appointing Gary Wagner Secretary of the Lebanon Cemetery Advisory Committee for 1999. Motion passed unanimously. Approval of By-Laws MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Wagner, adopting the By-Laws and authorizing the officers to sign the same. The Committee reviewed the By-Laws. Vote was taken on the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Set Regular Meeting Schedule Pamela Gackstetter distributed a tentative meeting schedule for the remainder of 1999. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Koepp, setting July 20 and October 19 as Regular Meeting dates in 1999; with meetings to begin at 2:00 p.m., at the City Hall. The Committee discussed possible meeting days and times. It was suggested the Committee meet the third Tuesday in January,April,July, and October. Vote was taken on the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Review Draft Cemetery Design Ms. Gackstetter distributed a draft Master Development Plan for the cemetery. The Committee reviewed the design. Committee Member Kemp joined the meeting at 3:35 p.m. 2 • • Mr. Miranowski suggested the Committee review the objectives and the draft Master Development Plan. The Committee discussed lot sizes, the need for oversized lots, entrances and orientation, fencing and gates, and placement of headstones and footstones. Chair Anderson questioned who would be maintaining the pool. Mr. Miranowski stated the area marked pool was actually a holding pond and that the Streets Division of the Public Works Department would maintain it similar to the City's other holding ponds. Mr. Miranowski noted the road to the south of the cemetery should be changed to read 151st Street instead of 157th Street. Dennis Miranowski was asked to explain the different kinds of curbing and how they would be used. Mr. Miranowski suggested eliminating a11 curbing from the design except at the entrances and around the island in the parking lot,citing a substantial savings in cost. MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Raiche, approving the draft Master Development Plan and recommending its approval by the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS Damaged Headstones Neal Heuer informed the Committee that on April 17, 1999, two headstones dating back to the late 1800s were damaged when an intoxicated driver drove his vehicle off the road and into the cemetery. Mr. Heuer stated City staff attempted to contact family members regarding the damaged headstones to no avail. Mr. Heuer further stated City staff received a quote to purchase two comparable stones and submitted the quote to the driver's insurance company. Pat Flanders said he received a call from the insurance company asking to whom the check should be written. Mr. Heuer said he was looking for direction from the Committee on how they would like staff to proceed. Committee Member Wagner asked if the City was insured for this type of damage. Mr. Miranowski said markers and monuments are not covered under the City's insurance but are the responsibility of the survivors of the deceased and are typically covered under their homeowner's insurance policy. Committee Member Kemp said he felt each situation should be reviewed on an individual basis but recommended staff attempt to contact the family first. If that is unsuccessful, he recommended trying to preserve the original monumendmarker by first recutting it to remove any sharp edges or by piecing together a broken monument and laying it flush with the ground to appear as a marker. The last option would be burying the broken stone and replacing it with a new one. Committee Member Raiche asked that staff conduct a routine inspection of monuments to ensure the safety of passersby. 3 ,. � , , , . • Chair Anderson suggested staff investigate the matter further and write a draft policy. Committee Member Kemp cautioned about writing a policy in too much detail citing the importance of being able to review each case on an individual basis. He then recommended a general policy stating that the City will attempt to inform the surviving family when a monumentJmarker has been damaged. If the damage is done by an act of God, the City will report the damage to the surviving family, who will then be responsible for its repair; if the City is responsible for the damage, it will fix or replace it; and if a third party damages a stone, the City will attempt to identify the party and submit a claim to their insurance company. Open Meeting Law Mr. Miranowski informed the Committee that as a subcommittee of the City Council they are subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law and then recapped the handout as outlined by the League of Minnesota Cities information bulletin. ADJOURN MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Koepp, to adjourn. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m. 4