Monday, February 9, 2015


Approved

Minutes of the Bethany Cemetery Commission

Regular Meeting on November 17 2014

 

A regular meeting of the Bethany Cemetery Commission was held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Bethany Town Hall on Monday, November 17, 2014.  In attendance were: Will Brinton ~ Chairman, Carol Goldberg,  Mary Ehrler and Kris Sullivan.  Absent was Steven Thornquist.  There are two vacancies on the Commission.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:39 p.m. by the Chairman.

 

Approval of Minutes

The draft minutes of the Commission’s regular meetings held on March 17, 2014, September 15, 2014 and October 22, 2014 were distributed for review by the Chairman.  Action on those minutes was then taken as follows:

  • It was moved by Ehrler and seconded by Brinton to approve the minutes of the March 17, 2014 regular meeting of the Commission as submitted .

In favor: Brinton, Sullivan and Ehrler.

Abstain: Goldberg

Unanimous approval.

  • It was moved by Ehrler and seconded by Brinton to approve the minutes of the September 15, 2014 regular meeting of the Commission as submitted .

In favor: Brinton, Sullivan and Ehrler.

Abstain: Goldberg

Unanimous approval.

  • It was moved by Ehrler and seconded by Brinton to approve the minutes of the October 22, 2014 regular meeting of the Commission as submitted .

In favor: Brinton, Sullivan and Ehrler.

Abstain: Goldberg

Unanimous approval.

 

Carrington Cemetery ~ Ground Penetrating Radar Quotes

Three separate quotes had been received from companies who can provide ground penetrating radar surveys.  Copies of those quotes had been emailed to all the members.  The quotes were from GeoModel  Inc., Underground Surveying and Ground Penetrating Radar Systems (GPRS).  

At the October 22, 2014 Commission meeting, Ehrler, Thornquist and Sullivan had agreed to each contact the references for one of the three companies and report back their findings at this evenings meeting.

Thornquist had emailed that he had not heard back from the references he had contacted.  Sullivan distributed the response she had received from Kevin Whitfield of Elkton, Virginia, regarding a cemetery survey GeoModel Inc. had done in that municipality.  Ehrler shared information she had found online regarding her company, and noted she had not received any responses from the references she had contacted.

Following discussion it was moved by Sullivan and seconded by Goldberg to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that the firm of GeoModel Inc. be engaged to conduct an in ground penetrating radar survey of the Carrington Cemetery on Rainbow Road, per that firm’s submitted estimate.  I

In favor: Brinton, Sullivan, Goldberg and Ehrler.

Unanimous approval.

 

Sperry Cemetery Gravestone Repairs

The Chairman reported that the work on the gravestone repairs had been completed.  A bill in the amount of $2000.00 ($100 less than the original estimate for the repairs) was received from Clarks Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance for those repairs.

Following discussion it was moved by Goldberg and seconded by Sullivan to approve payment of the bill in the amount of $2000 submitted by Clarks Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance for repairs to gravestones at the Sperry Cemetery.

In favor: Brinton, Sullivan, Goldberg and Ehrler.

Unanimous approval.

The Chairman noted that he had also met with Public Works Director Al Green and Charlie Gagel regarding runoff into the Sperry Cemetery from the road which is causing erosion.

The Chairman noted that he had not yet spoken to Mr. Green about removal of the tree and shrub encroaching on two different grave stones in that cemetery.

 

Financial Matters

Goldberg reported that she had been at the Board of Finance meeting the prior week when that Board  had discussed combining the existing two line items for cemetery maintenance into one line item.

There was a brief discussion  of the need to review  the financial statements for the Cemetery Fund   from 2012 forward to determine if any deposits of funds paid for the purchase of cemetery plots had been made to that account.  Based on that review, representatives from the Commission may need to go to the Board of Finance to request the transfer of any plot payments that should have been made to the Cemetery Fund.

 

Carrington Cemetery Hedge/Fence

There was continued discussion of how a better site line for exiting the cemetery could be achieved while still having a physical barrier between the road and the cemetery.

At the end of discussion it was the consensus of the Commission to have the Chairman speak with the Board of Selectmen about having the Town Road Crew remove some of the hedge (+ 10 feet) on the western side of the east entrance to the cemetery (the entrance closest to Carrington Road (Route 69), and having the “Carrington Cemetery” stone relocated to where the hedges are removed for better visibility of that stone, and to also prevent vehicles from making too wide a turn into the cemetery and hitting any of the older gravestones in that area. 

The Chairman will also ask if the Road Crew could also “level” the hedge from the cluster of birch trees where the “Carrington Cemetery” stone is currently located, easterly to the east entrance of the cemetery to assist in providing better visibility, without removing the barrier that the hedges provide between the cemetery and the road traffic.

 

Bylaws and Lot Fees

Discussion on this agenda item was deferred until the Commission’s next regular meeting on Monday, December 15, 2014.

 

Meeting Schedule for January 2015 to January 2016

                It was the consensus of the Commission members to adopt the following meeting dates for the period of January 2015 to January 2016, with meetings being held at the Town Hall, 40 Peck Road, starting at 7:30 p.m.:

  • Tuesday, January 20, 2015
  • Tuesday, February 17, 2015
  • Monday, March 16, 2015
  • Monday, April 20, 2015
  • Tuesday, May 18, 2015
  • Monday, June 15, 2015
  • Monday, July 20, 2015
  • Monday, August 17, 2015
  • Monday, September 21, 2015
  • Monday, October 19, 2015
  • Monday,  November 16, 2015
  • Monday, December 14, 2015
  • Tuesday, January 19, 2016

 

Adjournment

                There being no further business to come before the Commission, it was moved by Sullivan and seconded by Goldberg to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 p.m.

Unanimous approval.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Kristine Sullivan, Acting Secretary