MEETING MINUTES:
Cemetery Board of Trustees
August 28, 2000 7:00pm
City Hall
ROLL CALL – Members Present – Chairwoman
Olson, Trustee Knapp, Trustee Robertson.
EXCUSED – Trustee Dougherty
Also
Present – Mark Hammar, Rod Hage
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES – It was moved by Trustee
Knapp and seconded by Trustee Robertson to approve the Meeting Minutes of May
22, 2000. MOTION
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
OLD BUSINESS – Mr. Rod Hage, Cemetery Crew
Leader for the Department of Municipal Services outlined the proposed Bench
Program, citing possible regulations such as size, location on grave plot, and
materials of the bench that would be permitted. Administration offered to research this program further and
return with a formal document for the Board’s review at the November 27, 2000
meeting.
NEW BUSINESS – The Administration gave a
brief overview of the revised rules and regulations and offered clarifications
as to the changes that are being proposed.
It was noted that the revised rules and regulations also include the
adopted rules and regulations for crypt and niches. Chairwoman Olson inquired as to a timeline when the new rules
would be available for distribution. She was advised that they could be made
available within 2-3 weeks, depending on the printing firm’s schedule. It was
moved by Trustee Robertson and seconded by Trustee Knapp.
WHEREAS The City of Plymouth does maintain
and operate a municipal cemetery to protect the public health, safety and
welfare, and
WHEREAS The City has established a Cemetery
Board of Trustees to make recommendations to the City Commission as are
necessary and expedient for proper control, maintenance and improvement of the
City Cemetery.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Cemetery Board of Trustees does hereby adopt the revisions to the
Rules and Regulations for Riverside Cemetery as written and recommends to the
City Commission approval of said document. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Chairwoman Olson noted the loss of a
valued member of the Board, Trustee Jack Wilcox, and his years of dedicated
service to this body. She inquired as
to the status of any efforts being made to fill the vacancy on the Board. The Board was informed that anyone
interested in serving on the Cemetery Board of Trustees should forward a letter
of interest to Mayor David McDonald, 201 S. Main St.
There was a discussion of the cemetery
pricing survey distributed by the Administration, recommending an increase in
the resident rate for a single grave at Riverside from $500 to $750. Trustee
Knapp, noting the average price for single gravesites at area cemeteries starts
at $900, inquired as to the possibility of raising the increase to $900.
Administration offered that the resident rate historically has been lower than
average because a city resident pays taxes that go toward the maintenance and
upkeep of the cemetery. However, the
current rate of $500 does not cover the increasing costs of mowing,
snowplowing, and other areas of maintenance at the cemetery. Chairwoman Olson inquired as to what percentage
of graves are sold to residents versus non-residents. An accurate figure is
unavailable, but it is estimated at around 30-40% resident gravesite
sales. After further discussion, it was
moved by Trustee Knapp and seconded by Trustee Robertson
WHEREAS The City of Plymouth does maintain
and operate a municipal cemetery to protect the public health, safety, and
welfare, and
WHEREAS The City has established a Cemetery
Board of Trustees to make recommendations to the City Commission as are
necessary and expedient for proper control, maintenance, and improvement of the
City Cemetery.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the
Cemetery Board of Trustees does hereby recommend to the City Commission of the
City of Plymouth that the following rate schedule of fees be adopted:
Cemetery Lots: $750.00 City Residents $1,500
Non-Residents
Current Fee $500.00
City/$1,500 Non-Resident
MOTION
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Rod Hage spoke of a letter of request from Schrader-Howell Funeral Home
regarding a single grave lot known as Lot 243 in Block B owned by the Hastings
family. The family was under the
impression that the owned a 2-grave lot at the time they purchased a 60 inch
wide granite marker. Mr. Hage explained that the family is requesting to
purchase a 20 inch wide plot of land adjacent to their grave site which is
currently unusable and owned by the city for the placement of cremains and to
accommodate the width of their monument.
He also added that the monument includes a 16 inch high statue of an
angle centered on the monument. After some discussion, it moved by Trustee
Knapp and seconded by Trustee Robertson to approve the requested variance with
the stipulation that the family acknowledge that the City of Plymouth is not
responsible for damage to the angel statue due it’s prominence on the marker.
MOTION
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Rod Hage
informed the Board that there is a good possibility that a Revolutionary War
veteran may be interred in Riverside Cemetery, and requestsed approval by the
Board to pursue the validity of the status and to ascertain whether the
individual in question, Mr. Samuel Dunn, is indeed a Revolutionary War
veteran. It was moved by Trustee
Robertson and seconded by Trustee Knapp to pursue this matter and report to the
Board on the findings at the next quarterly meeting on November 27, 2000.
MOTION
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
STAFF REPORT – Chairwoman Olson noted the
staff report as well as the quarterly sales and burial activities at Riverside
Cemetery. She requested that all empty
hooks currently affixed to crypt and niche fronts be removed by the cemetery
maintenance staff. The Administration
noted that once the new rules and regulation brochures are printed, a copy will
be mailed to all current owners of crypt and niches to make them aware of the
changes.
Chairwoman Olson spoke of the
abundance of wood crosses and other prohibited items currently adorning
gravesites in Block K. She was advised that cemetery staff will remove these
items promptly according to the rules and regulations and will maintain a
closer watch on prohibited items throughout the cemetery.
The Cemetery Board acknowledged the
City Staff for their commitment to the maintenance and overall appearance of
the cemetery, and were pleased with the restoration of the entrance drive
landscaping.
There
being no further business to come before the Board of Trustees it was moved by
Trustee Knapp and seconded by Trustee Robertson to adjourn the meeting at 7:45
pm.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Respectfully
submitted,
Mark
A. Hammar, Asst. Director
Department
of Municipal Services
NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING: Monday,
November 27, 2000 – 7:00 pm
City Hall