Cemetery Commission — 2019-08-29
Minutes
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Administration & Engineering–Water–Sewer-Facilities Park & Forestry-Highway–Sanitation–Cemetery-Fleet CITY OF MELROSE Cemetery Office, 205 Sylvan Street Angela Pisacreta 88 Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Cemetery Administrator Telephone - (781) 665-0405 Fax - (781) 665-6380 E-mail: apisacreta@cityofmelrose.org Cemetery Commission Meeting Minutes August 29, 2019, Cemetery Conference Room, 205 Sylvan Street, Melrose, MA 02176 Attendance: Chairman Mark D. Garipay (MG) Commissioner Douglas E. MacDonald (DM) Commissioner Daniel O’Neill (DO) Lynda Garron, DPW Resident Services Representative (LG) Invitees: John Scenna, Director of Public Works (JS) Peter Pietrantonio, Operations Manager (PP) Wyoming Cemetery Commission Meeting Notes – Received via email from Lynda Garron on September 4, 2019 Call to order 5:14 by Chairman Mark Garipay (MG) Review Minutes of Last meeting, motion to accept by Dan O’Neill (DO), second by Doug MacDonald (DM), all in favor Review of Financial update prepared by Angela Pisacreta. Two months of sales, burials, costs reviewed and accepted. Motion to place on file. UPDATE on Vesper Ave. Peter Pietrantonio said Ed Farrell still creating a new plan in the office and breaking it down and grouping it into sections of graves. Once plans are complete, he will layout each section. Probably likely to bury from the inside out on both sides. All graves are double depth. New Sketch done sometime in September and done layout to follow P.P. Should be complete by next meeting. M.G. Can we get water over to this site? How much will this cost? Director Scenna said that while irrigation can be added for $5k +/- or even less, you wouldn’t want to just water this area where new burials are because then that would be the only green area during the summer when the rest of the completed areas around it are dry and not as green. MG requested that every corner of each section be pinned and that graves be pinned in each section as well so that the area is completely ready when needed. PP agreed and thinks that it should all be completed within the next month. M.G. We would prefer he do the whole job, pin all sections. DAMAGED HEAD STONE Replace Stone vs Repair Stone ? D.O. $600. to repair D.O. $1,700 to replace D. O. knows person will ask where stone came from Need updated quote for resident Where does $1,700. Come out of budget? Line Item? Markers? J.S. says we’ve replaced one before damaged during heavy winter of 2017. Employees moved stones to dig a burial and used snow blower and scratched the stone. LaMarca was site. Tried to put claim and he and PP think any difference was charged to the snow budget. MG is going to work with Legal to figure out how to get insurance to cover these accidents in future. ROAD WORK PROGRAM J.S. No money currently in DPW budget for Road Work J.S. Leaving a map for Cemetery Commission that identifies good, fair and bad roads by color. There is a spreadsheet that goes with the plans that has costs as of 2017. JS suggested that costs be increased by 8-10% to be conservation and cover new contract. Last round of paving not updated on this map .. Angela needs to request that this map be updated by Engineering. J.S. suggests not to wait for new Director of DPW choose 3-4 roads and set up for roads to be done in April DO and DM area going to walk and drive area and select roads for next phase of paving. J.S. suggests paving in April 2020 after snow fall melts and to call P.P and get the roads done through D&R contract. EAGLE SCOUT Benjamin Parker Identify / Mark all Veterans graves. D.O. gave him a list to verify DM going to follow up with Veterans Office to see what he is doing and if they are helping. Is there a list of graves w/ bronze plates? Shores & Riley Graves Letter sent out of Legal Office to Shores and Riley residents Waiting on response … both certificates were sent back acknowledging receipt M.G. doesn’t think letter was strong enough They need proof that the sites were paid for M.G. recommends another stronger letter in a few weeks / with cc to Chief of Police Any changes on the ground need to be documented on their deeds DPW TRANSITION J.S. Thanks the three members for all they have collaborated with. He is proud of the progress they’ve made both in the office administratively, with files and in the appearance of the grounds and in the capital project upgrades with paving of roads, upgrading drainage pipes and system and repairs of the walls. JS leaving them a copy of the Grant Application to FEMA for Wyoming Drain Upgrades. Grant Application addresses flooding on Lebanon and Sylvan Sts by upgrading the piping along Main Street near Pine Banks. The project would add a new pipe on Main Street to replace the one in Pine Banks under the dog park that has failed. It’s roughly an $800,000. Project Helps w/ flooding and maybe the plantings to be funded this fall with $$ from Mayor Infurna can be used to plant trees around this pipe where the road is. JS said Free Cash is set aside for Paving, Shrubs/Trees along Pine Banks and to continue GIS JS said GIS next phase is outlined in his transition plan which Angela has. She attended the meeting. There are some purchase order set up already in the event they want to start before new free cash money comes. Cemetery Wall has another state earmark in the amount of $150,000 … all the money must be used by June 30 2020 and must be used on the wall and gate repairs, painting, etc. Expansion in Cemetery should be finalized this Fall and to follow through with PP on this. Pining and Layout of Knollwood is done. PP reviewed it and showed a plan with all available lots. MG wants to set order of how to sell rest of Knollwood. First go back and fill in all empty lots. Fill in areas along side and then fill in front rows of area A. Hold middle road and front area of section B for lottery people. There are approximately 23 more graves to sell in knoll Wood if you follow this pattern of selling them. Plus you have the ones along Ripley wall to sell. M.G. 68 Graves to reserve for lottery as noted above. Angela needs to follow this order. Wants to have a vote on this. MG and JS had a discussion about Mike Hughes settlement money. MG wants access to those funds for cemetery capital projects. JS reminded him that those funds went into sales of lots and graves and perpetual care funds per normal split and that DPW can’t directly access those accounts. MG wants cemetery commission to vote to get that money back from sales of lots and graves. Also talk a little about how these funds are split up when deposited. No vote taken at this meeting on anything. JS recommended that MG speak to Patrick Dello Russo and Mayor Infurna on his concerns. JS also said don’t forget about rules and regulations and getting people to cut back their shrubs. Find issues and keep sending letters because he sees more shrub issues still on site. DM mentioned light was installed on flagpole and thanked PP. He also said shrubs need to be trimmed now around the sign and maybe we should add alight there too. DM also said shrubs need cutting back in pond. Can’t see pond.