Board of Cemetery Trustees/Board of Trustees of Trust Funds meeting minutes
DATE: February 27, 2009, 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Town Office Building meeting room
PRESENT: Gil Bliss, Margo Charig Bliss, Duffy Fox, members: Lee LeBlanc, board candidate.
The board accepted minutes from 12-5-07, 5-2-08 and 7-23-08, Margo Bliss abstaining.
The board voted 3-0 to continue its present investment policy, which is to invest town trust funds in bank CDs, currently with Ocean Bank. The board also signed forms for the filing of this year’s MS-9 report to the state.
The board voted 3-0 to appoint Merrill Villmore as arborist for the town cemeteries. He will perform duties formerly contracted with a private landscaping company and perform additional tree and shrub care. The cost should be less annually than the previous arrangement, with more care provided.
A discussion was held concerning completion of the water upgrade at Greenvale Cemetery. A cost estimate will be sought for replacing the underground electrical feed for the water pump. The wire is old and not buried deep enough in spots, Duffy said.
Final plans will also include construction of a manhole or bunker near the pond to house the pump connections and blowout valves for the cemetery water lines. It is hoped both the electrical work and the enclosure can be handled with this year’s allotment of $1500.
Lee LeBlanc, if elected by write-in at the town election to replace Duffy, will undertake collating the town’s cemetery records prior to their storage in the secure records area of the Historical Society Building.
The board discussed future maintenance and care at the rural Whittemore and Knight cemeteries. Some work has been done at Whittemore, including brush clearing and monument repair, but Knight Cemetery needs to be located and inspected.
The board voted 3-0 to have Margo Bliss check with area towns relative to prices for cemetery lots as well as seek information from those that run their own cemetery operations. A potential surcharge on grave sales was discussed as a way to help the town recoup cemetery maintenance costs, with the additional money going to an interest-bearing trust fund, as do the current perpetual care accounts. Having the town administer the burials and collect fees when Phil Woodbury retires was also discussed.
The Ralph Sayles Trust Fund was discussed relative to whether the trust’s original mandate had been fulfilled and if the remaining funds, now unused for several years, could be put to a similar outdoor wildlife and sporting project that could benefit the town.
Lee LeBlanc and Duffy Fox will seek further information on the status of the land and man-made pond on the former Sayles property, located between East and Francestown Roads. Discussions centered on creating a wildlife area that could be used by Boy Scouts or sportsmen’s groups, either on the existing Sayles property, which was developed once by the town, or at another location.
Duffy discussed who to contact at the Highway Department for cemetery-related tasks once he has retired. This was his last meeting as a trustee, as his term is expiring and he was thanked for his service.
The meeting ended at 2:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Gil Bliss
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