Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-26-11 Cemetery Advisory Board Minutes B4z�� r� y LINKED MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SUNSET HILLS CEMETERY ADVISORY B OARD 7,= =� - -�� MAY 26, 2011 � 88 1�0 1:00 PM N CO. THE LINDLEY CENTER - 1102 EAST CURTISS BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Russ Tuckerman, Chairperson Katherine Ball Gene Brooks Carl Craft Don Derby Lowell Springer Carson Taylor, Commission Liaison David Cook, Park& Recreation Board Liaison Absent: None CITY STAFF PRESENT: Ron Dingman, Director of Parks, Cemetery& Recreation Thom White, Park & Cemetery Superintendent Shane Surber, Cemetery Foreman Michelle Dipzinski, Cemetery Board Secretary a' GUEST PRESENTERS: Anna Rosenberry, Director of Finance COPIES OF THE RECORDING ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. 0:00:29 - Item #1—Call the meeting to order: • Chairperson Tuckerman called the meeting to order at 1:00pm. • He reminded all present of the public comment rules: • The public has 3 minutes to speak on items not on the agenda • The public has 3 minutes to speak on each action item before the board has discussion on that item • The public only gets to speak one time per item UnPed Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 o If someone speaks over the 3 minute time limit than all people making public comment would be offered the same amount of time 0:10:33- Item #2— Public Comment Period, limit 3 minutes per speaker: This item was moved to Item #3 0:10:40—Lowell Springer —Board Member: • Found out that it would be an ethics violation as a board member to go in front of another board to make a presentation or request. o The board discussed the situation and suggested that he speak to Greg Sullivan in the Legal Department or Aimee Kissel or Stacy Ulmen in the City Clerk's Office for clarification. 0:15:58 - Tom Olsen—Bozeman Granite Works: • Thanked the board for how they handle action items and public comment,they have done a good job • Discussed Col umbarium and scattering type events, he says there are various ways of handling granite and rustic type walls and boulders with names for recognition. He is available if someone wants to discuss it • The funding for the new Columbarium should be there, it would pay for itself 0:18:32—Public Comment Period closed. 0:01:53 - Item#3-_Approve February 10, 2011 meeting minutes—Action Item: This item was moved to#2 0:03:42--Public Comment on this Action Item, limit 3 minutes per speaker: 0:03:46 - Tom Olsen—Bozeman Granite Works • Page 2 second paragraph—the third bullet point didn't state what he said verbatim, he thinks the minutes are missing a very specific comment that he made regarding the deviations being attached to Resolution 4022. o It was explained that the minutes only state what was discussed, that there was a tape available for exact wording of the meeting o It was also explained that the minutes reflect what was said, not that what was said is right 0:08:04—Public Comment for this action item closed 0:08:07—Board discussion: o Page 2, Richard Newman's public comment section—the burying of the flags was left off the agenda as an action item,the issue resolved itself;the Boy Scouts will not be burying flags Linked Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 Motion: Boardmember Springer motioned to approve the February 10, 2010 minutes as amended. Boardmember Craft seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 0:18:50— Item #4— Fee Increases—ACTION ITEM,. • Finance Director Anna Rosenberry updated the Board on what has been packaged and is going in front of the Commission as a recommended budget o Meetings included Staff from the Cemetery, City Mangers Office, and Finance as well as some board members as to what the fees should be o Issues discussed were how much goes into the Perpetual Care Fund, how much general fund support would be needed and how pricing would affect that o They came up with the plan that when a lot or niche is sold that money would go into the Perpetual Care Fund; the interest earnings would stay in the Perpetual Care Fund, it will no longer be transferred into the General Fund o The permits, burial fee and disinterment fees would stay in the general fund and help with general operations o The Commission would discuss the package and possibly come up with a compromise o Pricing was also discussed. The sale of a lot would go up substantially, what the fee is now does not cover what is needed to maintain that lot in perpetuity. Full burial would go up from $650 to $1200 and Ash burial would go from $425 to $900; all other fees would go up by 25%. • Superintendent White updated the Board on a Memorial Garden that would be located in the old nursery o It would cost about$10,000 to start the garden; it would not be a scattering garden but an area that could memorialize someone o Will work with a landscape architect who would do the work pro-bona o This would make the cemetery available to people who have scattered ashes but have no place to go to memorialize that person • Director Rosenberry said that the Columbarium, the mower replacement and the$10,000 for the development of the Memorial Garden are going to the Commission • Director Dingman said there were areas that could be offered as reflective areas that could be offered and developed according to the agreed upon plans and standards. • Operations cost is about$400,000 supported by$100,000 in revenue in lot sales and permits; the general fund covered about 75%of the costs. The recommendation to increase the funds in the Perpetual Care Fund would increase the funds coming out of the General fund to about 88%. This would be something the Commission would grapple with. • The Cemetery did a man hours survey and they spend about 900 hours a year doing burials and 8900 hours go toward maintenance. Once all the lots are sold and all that is left is maintenance the staff would be eliminated and the Parks crews would maintain the cemetery lands • The plan is not to put all future maintenance costs on the people that will be buried in the future but to not have them add to the deficiency in funds • Finance is limited in what they can do with the Perpetual Care Fund money, that money can only be invested in certain funds Linked Minutes of the Sunset 14111s Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 • Boardmember Springer asked if a Foundation formed using private donations would be allowed— as long as it is not an arm of the City it could work. He suggested that this should be something that should be looked into. • The Board is being asked if they would support this fee increase 0:48:59—Public Comment on this Action Item,limit 3 minutes per speaker: 0:49:46—Scott Crowder: • Suggested that people that come from outside the area that do not pay taxes here pay more in fees 0:49:50—Public Comment for this action item closed 0:50:01—Board discussion: • There was some discussion during the meetings on whether to charge more for out of area people and there were various reasons as to not do that. o People that lived here most of their lives and then for unknown reasons had to leave the area for a short time would be affected o People aren't being buried here because it is cheaper, it had been their home • There was discussion about charging user groups differently than they have in the past. Superintendent White has alerted the user groups that next year there will be either a facilities fee or a percentage type situation where everyone pays. Sweet Pea and B5F will start paying more because their events are more successful. If a group is just starting out and struggling they would pay less. It comes down to finding an equitable way of transferring some of the burden onto the group that impacts the land or facilities. The sports groups have been very amiable about the suggestion. Motion: Boardmember Craft motioned that the fee increases regarding the Cemetery plus the addition of the user fee for 2012 and the fee for a Memorial Garden as discussed be conceptionally approved. Boardmember Brooks seconded the motion. 1:00:54—Boardmember Ball: • Likes the idea of putting more money in the Perpetual Care Fund; that is being responsible. It may at this time seem that is putting more pressure on the general fund • She is ok with increasing all the other fees by 25%and ok with the other fee increase because it something that is being done forever. It is a one-time fee • It is important to have more services and different costs associated with those services so everyone can feel it is their cemetery • Likes the idea of the Memorial Garden and thinks it may turn into a Scattering Garden in the future • Likes the idea of the buttons and coming up with another source of revenue where it directly impacts the cemetery or park land should go back into the General Fund. Thinks if it doesn't impact a park or the cemetery it may not need to be done 1:00:54—Boardmember Brooks: Linked Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 2b,2011 • Thinks this is just a preclude to selling the cemetery land, says the City Attorney has been tasked to sell the land • He has a hand out from up to a year ago on what can be done with the land • Does not want the land to be sold and what is proposed is not going to do the job because more money will be coming out of the General Fund • Has been on boards for a long time and he doesn't want to sell the land 1:15:07—Chairperson Tuckermon: • There is a genuine concern that everyone wants to do the right thing, it isn't easy to get there. Expenditure have been cut • Give the increase a year and see what happens • Supports the conceptional motion. Chairperson Tuckerman called for a vote to recommend the fee increase to the City Commission. The motion passed unanimously. • Director Rosenberry was thanked for her time. She said the Commission agendas are full until the middle of July. They notify the funeral homes of any increases who then contact people they know are preplanning so there may be an increase in sales before the fees increase. 1:x.8:09— Item #5— Board Vacancy—ACTION ITEM: • There are 2 applicants for the one vacancy,Tom Olsen and Karlina Popwell • The Board can recommend one applicant to the Commission or take the action that the Board is neutral and let the Commission make the decision 1:20:04—Public Comment on this Action Item limit 3 minutes per speaker: 1:20:13—Scott Crowder: • Recommends Tom Olsen, he has a lot of experience with this cemetery and a lot of cemeteries throughout the state. He cares a lot about it and has great ideas. 1:20:35--Public Comment for this action item closed 1:20:42—Board discussion: • All board member received copies of both applicants Motion: Boardmember Derby motioned to recommend to the Commission that Karlina Popwell fill the board vacancy. Boardmember Springer seconded the motion. Linked Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 • Chairperson Tuckerman said he knew Karlina as a new person in town who was looking for work in the community. He knew her because they have children about the same age and knows her through school. The motion passed unanimously. 1:23:21—Item #6—Scattering Garden: • This was covered during the fee discussion 2:23:31— Item#7—Request for deviation update: • No deviations were requested 1:24:03—Item #8—Veterans Wall update: • Boardmember Derby provided the following information: • There is $14,756 in the bank • Thinks everything has been paid for up until now • There have been 5 or 6 names added to the Wall in Washington so one of the smaller panels will be sent in to get the names added • There are 20 more names going onto the All Veterans Wall,they should be up sometime next week • There is a website,Vietnam Wall,where you can click on the state, then on the City and find the name you are looking for, then click on the name and it will have a picture and what medals that person received 1:27:45—Item_#9—Tree Donation Program—Joyce Schmidt: • Ms. Schmidt was not available for the meeting • An email from Mary Keck was provided with ideas for the brochure • Director Dingman thought the program would be as simple as just a donation program. He suggests that the board discuss about how much to charge, staff and the board can draft an outline with rules to abide by. City staff has a computer program for building brochures • City staff would work with the nursery to show where the tree would be planted, the person donating would buy the tree and plant it • It was suggested and discussed taking a portion of the donated funds toward the Perpetual Care Fund • It was discussed that a person wanting to donate a tree work directly with the nursery and just get approval of the tree planting location • It was decided that City Staff will work on a conceptual plan and bring it to the next meeting • In working out locations the suggestion of lining the east entrance with Memorial Trees was liked • Starting the Tree Donation Program will need to be approved as an action item at the next meeting • Acknowledgements were given to Joyce Schmidt and Mary Keck in their absence for their work on this program Linked Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 1:36:28—Item #10—Superintendent/Foreman Update—Thom White and/or Shane Surber: • Superintendent White provided the following information: • As of June 19, the Parks and Cemetery crews will be working weekends to cover burials in the Cemetery and will work in the parks also. • Did not hire the full allowance of seasonal positions to contribute to the vacancy savings for the General Fund • The growth regulator has paid off, crews will apply the regulator to more blocks which will mean less mowing in those areas plus it chokes out the weeds • Will be using a new dandelion herbicide that does not have a warning label on it, it is safer • There is a bio stimulant that will be tried in the farmers field to see if they could grow grass where the trail used to be • Foreman Surber o Ready for Memorial Day, the Cemetery will look good c The Kiosk is up at the east entrance; Boardmember Brooks map will be blown up and put in. The board can decide what all they want in there c Some of the block markers have been replaced, more posts will be ordered c Lost one top off a triple topped tree, no bugs or pine beetles have been found. The Forestry Department came in and put up pheromone packets to keep the pine beetles away 1:05:32— Item #11—Commission Report—Carson Taylor: • Last year at budget time one of the commissioners said to cut the Cemetery budget by 5%, he doesn't think this will happen this year because of the changes that were made throughout the year. He appreciates the way staff has thought out ways to work with the budget situation • No big surprises should show up during budget time • The cemetery is not on any big discussion item so you shouldn't see any big changes of any sort in the next year • There is a new commission next year and whenever that happens things do change a little bit • Superintendent White said they received a nice letter about one of the Cemetery staff, Rick Fink, regarding his above and beyond customer service • Commission Taylor wants to make sure we don't get to the point where we cut back on staff to the point where everyone is working so hard they are burning out that they make bad decisions on the job or look for anotherjob. 1:57:25—Item #12-- Recreation & Park Board Update— David Cook: • The moving of the ski trails to the east of Highland Blvd has worked out well; they have 6 miles of trails. People are parking on that side with the Parks Department plowing the parking lot • is planning on meeting with the hospital to set up ample notice when the hospital will want to take the land back • There have been complaints about crossing Highland Blvd. by Ellis, it was requested by some people that the Hospital pay for a stop light. They were given other options because the hospital is letting them use the land without any charges. • Gallatin Valley Land Trust is working with the hospital to use their land as a hiking and running path 7 Linked Minutes of the Sunset Hills Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting,May 26,2011 2:03:56--Item 13—Confirm next meeting date—August 25, 2011: • The next meeting date is set for August 25'h, the Lindley Center is reserved 2:03:59— Item 14—Other Business: • None to be discussed 2:04:15—Adjournment: Motion: Chairperson Craft motioned to adjourn the meeting. Boardmember Ball seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 3:04pm. Michelle Dipzinski, the recording secretary,will contact C person Tuckerman, Superintendent White, and Foreman Surber approximately three weeks prior to the nemee 'n to set up the agenda. Russ Tuckerman, Chairperso ATTEST: Michelle Dipzinsk, d Secretary PREPARED BY: Michelle Dipzins `, B ar Secretary Approved on