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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/18/2006 • � MINUTES OF LEBANON CEMETERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING July 18,2006-2:00 p.m. Apple Valley Municipal Center COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Wilton Anderson, Bob Harvey, Dave Kemp,Alan Kohls, Gary Wagner, Harry Wolter COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Paula Moore OTHERS PRESENT: Public Warks Superintendent Mike Glewwe Public Works Assistant Jean Bryant Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. Verbal role was taken to assure a quorum. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Kemp, seconded by Kohls, approving the agenda for today's meeting as written. Motion passed unanimously. AUDIENCE—For Items Not on This Agenda There was no one present to speak. - APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Wolter, approving the minutes of the April 18, 2006,meeting, as written. Motion passed unanimously. NEW/CONTINUED BUSINESS Meeting with City Council The City Council had to cancel the Apri127 informal meeting with the Cemetery Advisory Committee but would still like to meet. Committee members were asked to let Ms. Bryant know which of these times would work with their schedules: 7:15 on July 27, 6:00 on August 10, and 7:15 on August 24. Activity Report Ms. Bryant reviewed the Lebanon Cemetery Activity Report for second quarter. There were 16 lot/niche sales in the second quarter: 12 to residents and 4 to non-residents; there were 3 double niche sales; 10 sales were preneed and 6 were at need. There were 10 burials: 5 traditional and 5 cremations. There were 12 transfers and no returns. Ms. Bryant • • noted the transfers were from one family and lots had been purchased in the early 1930s. Committee Member Kohls said he knows of many situations like that and does mention transfer to the family if he sees them. Chair Anderson asked if they were transfers back to the City and does the City pay them for the lot. Ms. Bryant said these transfers were from one family member to another. If a transfer is back to the City, the purchase price is refunded. Maintenance and Grounds Mr. Glewwe reported on cemetery maintenance. The Knights of Columbus helped remove unapproved memorials, which was a big job. Other activities consisted of contract mowing, fertilizing, putting out broad-leaf herbicide, weeding flower beds, and top dressing and seeding settled graves. A Sentence-to-Serve crew helped freshen up wood chips around the trees, and top dressed and seeded the Pilot Knob Road boulevard. The main focus now is keeping things alive. Watering of trees and flowers is taking place three times a week. No trees or flowers the City planted have been lost yet, and that is tough soil. It looks like two older existing trees may be lost. Stellar Concrete replaced the brick pillar hit by the pickup last fall. Fence Co has fence parts on order and says the fence should be replaced by the end of next week. Chair Anderson, Committee Member Kemp, and Committee Member Kohls commented on how well the City crews are doing keeping the cemetery looking good. Removal of Prohibited Objects Many unauthorized items have been left at graves. Lately, it was looking very cluttered. StafF decided to go by the cemetery regulations and pick up all unauthorized items. The Knights of Columbus helped. Now it looks neat and orderly. Staff plans to be consistent with removing prohibited objects, picking up every week when necessary. Mr. Glewwe explained that often items are reclaimed and then put right back at the cemetery. He thinks being consistent in picking up all unauthorized items every week will slowly diminish those being returned. But there probably will be some people who put the same items back and staff would like ideas on what to da After picking up multiple times, can items be kept and not returned? Committee Member Kohls suggested a sign be installed at each entrance to inform or remind people what is allowed. Committee Member Wolter suggested a copy of the regulations be given to the people reclaiming items. Mr. Glewwe responded people get the regulations, and staff does explain to them exactly what is allowed. Staff wants them to be able to leave flowers. Mr. Glewwe does not like the idea of a sign at the entrance saying you can't do this or that. It's the people putting items right back out that is of concern. Chair Anderson commented and others agreed it is a sensitive issue. Committee Member Wagner said people have to know the rules and regulations. They should be told that the next time items will be confiscated. Committee Member Kemp said people go through about a year's grieving process after burial, and then placing of items stops. His cemeteries make exceptions on Mothers Day and Memorial Day when people can put out what they want. But then they are required to pick it up before the cemetery goes through. When the cemetery goes through they take everything not allowed. � � The large pots are put to the side for reclaiming, but they're told it can't be put back or it won't be here again. Chair Anderson reported he called the realtors association and Parade of Homes and told them not to place any more real estate signs on cemetery property. The president apologized. Chair Anderson asked committee members to please pick up any garage sale signs or the like they see on cemetery property. Committee Member Harvey said his cemeteries do a major cleanup three times a year and throw everything away. Cleanup dates are posted at the gates. A consensus was reached to keep picking up items, warn those reclaiming items that in the future any unauthorized items would be thrown away, and to be lenient for about a year until the marker or monument is installed. Members expressed support of the City's efForts. City Cemetery Regulations Ms. Bryant updated the Committee on taking the revised cemetery regulations to the City Council. At the April meeting, the Committee approved the revisions. Staff has not presented them to the City Council yet. Mr. Heuer would like to use the changes as a starting point for discussion at the Cemetery Advisory Committee's meeting with the City Council. After that meeting, the revised regulations would be submitted to the Council for approval. Chair Anderson asked if Committee members were expected to do anything for the meeting. Ms. Bryant replied there are no expectations; it will be an informal meeting. Members can bring up any item for discussion. The meeting would probably last half an hour. Optional Vase for Columbarium Ms. Bryant said as people with loved ones in the columbarium have no place for flowers, they have left them on the grass which causes a problem for mowing or in stands that block other niche plaques. Staff has looked into an option and with Committee Member Kemp's help located a small bronze vase that attaches to the columbarium with adhesive. Staff proposes to ofFer it for purchase at$75. A sma11 bouquet of silk flowers would be included with the purchase of a vase. This would give buyers the idea of what size of arrangement fits on the columbarium niche cover. The vases will be mounted on the lower 1eft side of the niche cover. Letters will be sent to all owners of columbarium niches informing them of the vase. An ordinance change is needed so the vase can be added to the General Price List. The Committee approved of moving forward with the vases for the columbarium. Committee Member Kohls brought up the concern on a way to mark the veterans in the columbarium. Ms. Bryant said she has not found a general veterans marker for it. Committee Member Kemp ofFered to show her samples of what he uses. ! i Change Section 12 Rows A and B to Cremation Lots Ms. Bryant explained that monument privileged cremation lots in sections 31 and 32 are almost sold out. Staff has explored options for providing mare monument lots. The best option appears to be changing the traditional size lots in Section 12, Rows A and B to cremation lots. Two rows would be monument privileged. The new row will be offset one row to the east from the existing cremation rows. To allow for equipment access, lots 32- E-01 and 12-B-23 would be marker lots. Future landscaping in the area would help to hide the offset monuments. Discussion included purchasers' comments about Section 30 being too close to County Road 42. They want monuments. Committee members and staff agreed that in the future some kind of screening is needed along County Road 42 to make those lots more desirable. MOTION: of Anderson, seconded by Committee Member Kohls to change the traditional lots south of Section 32 into cremation lots with two monument privileged rows. Motion passed unanimously. New Cremation Option Ms. Bryant presented a new cremation option called a cremation rock available for one or two cremains. Funds have been included in the proposed 2007 budget for their purchase. One of each would be purchased initially and then as needed. They would be placed by the four pine trees donated by the Union. Committee Member Kemp explained they axe granite pieces with holes drilled in them. Cremains are placed in a plastic liner which fits into the hole. It is then sealed and a bronze cover placed over it. Committee members liked the idea of offering another option as cremation is more and more popular. Other Business Insurance Letter Chair Anderson said the included letter is being sent to people who have had monuments or markers installed at the cemetery. It advises them they are responsible for the monument or marker and may want to check with their insurance company to see if they have coverage. Ms. Bryant said the letter was composed at the directive of the Committee at the last meeting. Several have been sent out as the monument or marker is installed. There has been no response. Retaining Unauthorized Cremains Ms. Bryant reported she spoke with Ron Gjerde of Lakewood Cemetery as requested by the Committee to ask him if there are regulations on retaining unauthorized cremains left at the cemetery. Mr. Gjerde said as we never took possession of them we have no obligation. Committee Member Kemp said their policy is to recover all the ashes they can, notify the . . . � family to come and get them and arrange for a proper disposal. Committee Member Wagner believes it is state policy if you have cremains for any length of time you can bury them within a year. Committee Member Kemp agreed and added the City may want to look at an actuary or other common burial place. People still need to make arrangements with the City, but it's a very inexpensive way of disposing of cremated remains. The state's policy is cremation is final disposition. The City needs to be proactive so when ashes are found staff will know what steps to take. Committee Member Harvey said their cemeteries sweep up any ashes and hold them for a year�, then they go into a scattering garden. Members discussed what action to take next and decided staff should bring ideas to the next meeting and together a decision can be made so we can be proactive. Firefighter Memorial Photos Chair Anderson pointed out the photos of the Fire Fighters Memorial included for Committee members' information. Mr. Glewwe said the Fire Fighters Association has plans ready for the plantings and will get them to City staff for approval. The Maltese cross will be done in metal in front of the pavers. A bullet edging will be placed around it. The pavers are in but need to be cut to form an arch. Hopefully, they will have the memorial finished by Labor Day. Chair Anderson said he feels comfortable knowing the City is involved with what is going into this memorial. Members think it's a great addition to the cemetery. ADJOURN � MOTION: of Wagner, seconded by Harvey, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m.