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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/21/2003 • � MINUTES OF LEBANON CEMETERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING October 21,2003 -2:00 p.m. Apple Valley Municipal Center COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Wilt Anderson, Ranee Hadley, Gary Humphrey,Dave Kemp,John Raiche, and Gary Wagner COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Reid Koepp OTHERS PRESENT: Public Works Director Neal Heuer,Public Works Supervisar Rod Rippentrop,Public Works Administrative Manager Pamela Gackstetter, Fire Chief Keith Wassmund, Firefighter Mike Anderson, and Alan Kohls Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Raiche, seconded by Hadley, approving the agenda for today's meeting as written. Motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: of Hadley, seconded by Kemp, approving the minutes of the July 15, 2003, meeting, as written. Motion passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS Activity Report Ms. Gackstetter reviewed the Lebanon Cemetery Activity Report. Third quarter activity consisted of 121ot sales and 6 burials. Of the 121ots sold, 7 were to residents and 5 were to non-residents; and 7 were preneed and 5 were at need sales. Of the 6 burials, 2 were traditional and 4 were cremation. Totals since January 2003 are 33 lot sales and lb burials. Committee Member Humphrey joined the meeting at 2:10 p.m. Fire Fighter Feature Area Fire Chief Wassmund and Firefighter Anderson presented the preliminary plan and design concept for the firefighter feature area. They stated the feature area will be developed in stages. The plan is to sell the bricks for the walkway and those adjacent to the firefighter emblem first. The sale of the bricks, appro�mately 880 for the walkway and 100 near the emblem, will help generate funds for the purchase of the statue,which will be part of the second phase. • • - Mr. Rippentrop questioned if bricks will be installed as they are sold or if the path will be installed in its entirety. Firefighter Anderson said the bricks in the pathway and around the emblem will be installed at one time. Chair Anderson asked how the sale of the bricks would be marketed. Chief Wassmund stated the Fire Department would use a variety of inethods. The Committee asked several more questions of the Fire Department personnel. Mr. Heuer clarified the fact that the design presented today is conceptual only and the final plan may be altered. An example would be the hedge depicted in the drawing may ar may not be included in the final plan. Mr. Heuer also said that staff is going to be working on guidelines and/or policy for feature areas in the very near future. Mr. Heuer said he will meet with the City Attorney regarding this. Committee Member Wagner asked when staff will have the feature area guidelines completed. Mr. Heuer responded they should be completed by January. Chief Wassmund stated they were before the Cemetery Advisory Committee today looking for approval to present the preliminary plan and design concept to the City Council. MOTTON: of Humphrey, seconded by Wagner, directing stafF to prepare a policy for feature areas and present it to the Cemetery Advisory Committee at its January meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Committee Member Kemp offered to assist the Fire Department on this project. Chair Anderson asked if there would be gravesites incorporated into the feature area. Firefighter Anderson said their plan does not include graves. MOTION: of Humphrey, seconded by Hadley, recommending the Fire Department proceed with the development of the Firefighter Feature Area/Memorial and further recommending the Fire Department submit the preliminary plan and design concept to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. Grounds Update Mr. Rippentrop stated the dead trees would not be replaced until next spring. The lack of snow and rainfall this last year was very hard on the trees. The new trees will be placed in larger holes and the species will be reviewed priar to planting. Chair Anderson asked if there was enough money in the budget to replace the dead trees. Mr. Heuer said there is money in the budget for tree replacement. Chair Anderson questioned when the trees would be purchased and planted with the money donated to the Landscape Beautification Fund. Mr. Rippentrop said those trees will be purchased and planted next spring as well. Mr. Rippentrop said the south side of the cemetery was seeded in fall. The grass in that area is coming up fairly well. The east side, which was seeded in June, is not doing nearly as well. They will overseed the east side early next spring. Mr. Rippentrop stated the holding area for the backhoe will be installed next week. The holding area will be located in the southern-most section. The backhoe is somewhat hidden or stored in this area during burials. The holding area should help prevent dirt and mud from being dragged out onto the road. 2 • • Mr. Rippentrop said he will have the cemetery fertilized next month. The fertilizer will stay dormant until next spring. By getting the fertilizer on this winter, the grounds should green up quicker next spring. His goal is to have the cemetery looking good for Memorial Day. Chair Anderson asked what if anything has become of the storm water issue. Mr. Heuer said the City's engineers have drawn up a conceptual plan to resolve this problem. A model for volumes of water and rate of flow could also be drafted. Mr. Heuer further said if the City chooses to resolve this issue in this way instead of waiting until the property to the south of the cemetery is developed, Mr. Fischer would need to sign a legal agreement permitting the City to deposit water onto his property. In addition, the cost would need to be borne by the cemetery. Mr. Heuer said it must still be determined if the benefits outweigh the expense to resolve this issue for such a short period of time. Chair Anderson asked if the cemetery could afford this improvement. Mr. Heuer said the cost would severely impact the cemetery's funds. It would also delay th� construction of the maintenance building by two years. Committee Member Hadley asked when that area is scheduled for development. Mr. Heuer said he anticipates this area to be developed within the next two years. As part of the development at that time, the storm water pipes will be properly sized. The current pipes were only a temporary solution. In addition, if the City installs the upgraded pipes and a 25- to 50-year rainfall event is not received prior to the area being developed,the pipes would have been installed for nothing. Chair Anderson asked what the City is going to do and when it will happen. Mr. Heuer said there are a couple more things he wouldlike to look at yet in order to evaluate the project. If it appears prudent to upgrade the pipes, the timing will be largely contingent on Mr. Fischer signing an agreement and the time necessary to prepare plans, specs, bid the project, and have the work performed. 2004 Meeting Schedule MOTION: of Humphrey, seconded by Hadley, approving the tentative regular meeting schedule of the Cemetery Advisory Committee for 2004,with meetings scheduled at 2:00 p.m., in the Regent Conference Room, at the Municipal Center, on Tuesdays, January 20, April 20, July 20, and October 19. Motion passed unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS '� Publicity Ms. Gackstetter recapped the article that appeared in the A�ple Valle�tv News thanking the cemetery volunteers from 2003. Mr. Kohls stated he provided the ThisWeek Newspaper with information for an article about the cemetery in August, but it has not been printed. He indicated he would follow up with the reporter. 3 � . . Girl Scout Group Tour Chair Anderson said he led a tour of the cemetery for a Girl Scout group. He indicated the group appeared very interested. In addition to listening to his speech, they took rubbings of the monuments. Minnesota Association of Cemeteries (MAC) Conference Update Ms. Gackstetter gave the Committee an update on the Minnesota Association of Cemeteries (MAC) Conference she and Committee Member Kemp attended earlier in the month. Ms. Gackstetter said she was grateful for the opportunity to attend the conference and found the information provided valuable. ADJOURN MOTION: of Kemp, seconded by Humphrey, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting was adjourned at 3:24 p.m. Approved: � i 4