HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-08-18 Cemetery Advisory Board Final Minutes BOZ E MANMT
Parks & Cemetery
Cemetery Advisory Board
Thursday, February 8, 2018
1:00 P.M.
City Hall, Commission Room
121 North Rouse Avenue
Minutes
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Russ Tuckerman James Korth
Katherine Ball Katie Tennille
Marypat Zitzer Stacie Wunsch
[Excused: Don Derby]
STAFF PRESENT
Mitch Overton Thom White
1) Call the Meeting to Order: Russ Tuckerman,Chair
2) Changes to Agenda:Moving item 8) City Forester's report ahead of the action items.
3) Approve meeting minutes from November 9,2017: Approved by all in attendance.
4) Public Comment: None
5) Disclosures: None
6) Action Items:
A) Election of Chair and Vice Chair positions
--Nominations: Stacie Wunsch for Chair;Katherine Ball for Vice Chair;Approved by all in attendance.
B) Perpetual Care Fund and Fees Discussion:Mitch Overton [Includes Attachment]
Amended Motion: I hereby move to recommend that the City Commission adopt a 25%fee increase to all
associated cemetery fees with the exception of Memorial Garden plaques and a 2%increase(including Memorial
Garden plaques) in all fees for the following 4 years,with 35%of all revenues deposited into the Perpetual Care
Fund and to remove double depth burials from the slate of services.
--Chair started the discussion by asking for each board member's position on the recommended motion.
Questions asked were 1)why is the amount going to the PCF decreasing when the contribution is coming from all
revenues; 2)what are all the revenues; 3)what about fees from BSF,Lacrosse,and other user groups,are those
included as revenue going to the cemetery?Mitch referred to Kristin's Memo to explain how the PCF would be a
smaller amount.He explained how the user fees are not directly related to the cemetery,are using open space,
parks and trails,are managed by the Parks and Recreation Divisions,and contribute to the general fund.
--The discussion continued around raising the percentage of revenues going to the PCF and decided to set it at
3S%.
--Two changes were made to the fees list: 1) Since the Memorial Garden plaques were created to offer the public
another,affordable alternative and only recently added,it was asked that those fees not be included in the
proposed 25% increase since that price was so new.2) Staff asked for removal of the the 2 items for"double
depth,"stating that it was a safety hazard for staff when doing them,and the requests for these services were
minimal and decreasing each year.
--Amended Motion by Russ; Seconded by Stacie;Approved by all(6)in attendance.
BOZ E MANMT
Parks & Cemetery
7) Old Business:
A) Veterans Wall Update:Don Derby-absent
--Chair asked Jim if he had anything to add,and he replied that the kiosk was up and running.
B) Memorial Garden Update:Memorial Garden Subcommittee
--Need to look for rocks.
C) Board Report:
--Russ shared that he met with hospital staff 12/16 regarding boundaries with the cemetery,weed control by
farmer,and snow removal.He requested that city staff take over his annual meetings with the hospital in the
future and shared his disappointment with lack of code enforcement.
8) City Forester's Inventory Report:Alex Nordquest
--Alex gave a brief overview of the work on the tree inventory.
--He shared the plans to have the Arbor Day Celebration at the Veterans Wall on April 271h, plant 3 pines at the wall
and one as a replacement at the Memorial Garden.
9) Park Superintendent's Report: Thom White
--He explained what the winter workload activities have been for the Cemetery crew;snowremoval taking up a larger
portion with the record snowfall so far;has had someone working most weekends with the extra activity and
additional snow;have had good feedback on the kiosk;praised his staff for their work.He mentioned the
columbarium is on its way from Canada,wants to coordinate its availability with the new fees,and will work on the
landscaping around it in the spring.
10) Director's Report:Mitch Overton
--Added more about the columbarium,saying that the niches are almost all sold out in the existing ones.He explained
further the decision to have Arbor Day at the Veterans Wall.Preparing for the first phase of construction of the SW
Veterans Cemetery;next step is for budget approval,then we can begin the design and engineering phase prior to
starting construction later this year. He mentioned we will be contracting this spring for work on the inventory of the
estimated 10K trees in the city,and Jennifer will focus on the rest of the cemetery tree inventory.Once complete,the
public will have access to the inventory to locate the various species on the city's GIS map.
11) Commission Report:Cynthia Andrus-absent
12) Next Meeting Date:May 101h,2018
13) FYI/Discussion
--Russ asked for a way to share the board approved 20-year Cemetery Plan for use by the city planners and
development.
--Asked if the farmer,Bob Marks,renewed his contract.Nothing specific was known at the time.
--Asked Thom the status of the irrigation project at the cemetery.He said it was postponed and will get an update for
next time.
--Suggestion to share the tree inventory information at the Arbor Day event.
14) Adjournment
This board meets quarterly on the second Thursday of the month at 1:OOpm.
Cemetery Board meetings are open to all members of the public.lfyou have a disability that requires assistance,
please contact ourADA Coordinator,Mike Gray,at 582-3232(TDD 582-2301).
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A46dUnsch, Chair I Date Melanie Eubank,Recording Sec. Date