HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEM BOARD WORK SESSION 11-20-06
SUNSET HILLS CEMETERY ADVISORY BOARD
WORK SESSION MINUTES
NOVEMBER 15, 2006
10:00 AM
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
Russell Tuckerman, Chairperson
Don Derby
Carl Craft
CITY STAFF PRESENT:
Michelle Dipzinski, Cemetery Board Secretary
GUESTS PRESENT:
None
The meeting was called to order at 10:00AM
This work session was called to discuss what the Gallatin Foundation would need to manage the funds
collected during the fund raiser for the purchase of the Vietnam Veteran?s Moving Memorial Wall. A
bid of $30,000.00 was submitted and accepted by the Veteran?s Memorial Fund in Washington DC,
now the process of collecting the donations will begin.
Attached is the application that has been submitted to the Gallatin Foundation from the discussion held
at this meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00AM
To: The Gallatin Foundation
From: The Friends of Sunset Hills Cemetery Veterans Memorial Organizing Committee
Don Derby, VFW Post 6721 Three Forks
nd
Carl Craft, 2 Vice President, American Legion, Gallatin Post #14
Irv Page, Disabled American Vets, Lewis and Clark Chapter; Vietnam Vets of America,
Chapter 788; Lifetime VFW, District 4; Commander Post 6721 Three Forks; Past
Commander 903, Bozeman
Russ Tuckerman, Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Chairperson
th
Date: November 20, 2006
Re: Friends of Sunset Hills Cemetery Veterans Memorial Fund
This application for a fund is to purchase a retired Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall. It was brought to
our attention in early October 2006 that a moving Wall would be retired and that there was an
opportunity to purchase that Wall. There are only two other retired Walls in the United States, they are
in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The purchase of this Wall would give the people who cannot travel
to the original Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington DC a place to visit a memorial. It will be re-
installed at Sunset Hills Cemetery, where it visited in 1995.
Due to time constraints thrust upon us and the desire to accomplish this by the deadline put upon us by
the Veterans Memorial Fund in Washington DC, at this time the Organizing Committee is working on
this project. A more formal organizational structure will follow with officers and directors.
Because the purchase of the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall is just the corner stone of what is planned
as an All Veteran Memorial the association between the Gallatin Foundation and The Friends of
Sunset Hill Cemetery Veterans Memorial will be long term. There are plans in place to include all
veterans from all conflicts involving United States service men and women including the following:
Spanish American War
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Gulf War
Panama
Bosnia/Somalia/Kosovo
Iraq/Afghanistan Wars
The Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board has been discussing erecting a Veterans Memorial in the
cemetery for quite some time. The discussion regarding the purchase of a moving wall was brought up
at their August 31, 2006 meeting; the following is a portion of the minutes regarding the moving
veteran?s wall.
Item #9 ? Veterans Wall:
?Boardmember Derby is working with Foreman Murphy on the wall and wants to include WWI
and WWII, and Korean veterans on the wall. Bozeman is pretty much the only city that does
not have a veteran?s wall. Boardmember Derby is investigating the possibility of purchasing
one of the moving walls once the government retires a set. Foreman Murphy has the
information from when the moving wall was in Bozeman 11 years ago. Boardmembers Derby
and Craft and Foreman Murphy will meet before the next meeting so they can provide more
information. Boardmember Derby stated he has received all the notes from retired
Boardmember Page and they can go from there. He stated his plan will include trees.?
Two members of the Board and the Cemetery Foreman have toured four memorials to get an idea of
what is needed to develop and organize a project such as this. Community involvement is a must.
Members of the Organizational Committee met with Bill Reier, Dave Visher, and Dean Alexander
immediate
from Reier Broadcasting regarding holding an fund raising event. They are very
enthusiastic, supportive and confident that a one day fund raiser would be successful in raising the
$58,500 that is needed for this project.
A bid was submitted to and accepted by the Veterans Memorial Fund in Washington DC for
$30,000.00 to purchase the wall. The additional funds would be used to purchase flag poles,
modifications to the retaining wall, water and electric utilities hook up, purchase a memorial sculpture,
future design and continuing evolution of the All Veteran Memorial.Delivery of the wall to Bozeman
is included in the $30,000.00 bid.