CEMETERY TRUSTEE MEETING
Newton Town Hall
2 Town Hall Road – P.O. Box 378
Newton, NH 03858
Minutes of Trustee’s Oct. 23, 2008 Meeting
Members present: Ray Thayer, Ron Saunders, Bill Landry
Meeting called to order at 6:00 PM. at the Newton Town Hall
NEW BUSINESS:
] EXPIRATION OF R. THAYER TERM:
Mr. Thayer, whose term expires in March of 2009, has decided not to run for re-election. His duties as a Newton Selectman, in addition to serving in other town capacities, does not allow him to devote the time necessary to serve as a Cemetery Trustee.
] CEMETERY RULES AND REGULATIONS:
A thorough review of the rules and regulations will be made after the first of the year, 2009. However, a change to the regulations will be made effective immediately pertaining to the sale of lots in the Newton cemeteries.
Effective immediately, lots will be sold only to current or past residents of the Town of Newton, NH. With the high cost and scarcity of land available for cemeteries, and the fact that Newton currently has only one cemetery with lots available for sale this move is intended to ensure there are lots available for Newton residents for the foreseeable future.
This restriction also includes the transfer of ownership of a lot(s). Transfers will only be allowed to current or past residents of the Town of Newton.
Motion was made by Ray Thayer and seconded by Ron Saunders.
Motion unanimously passed.
] REDESIGN LAYOUT / SIZE OF LOTS AT REAR OF HIGHLAND CEMETERY:
Currently the size of a lot in the rear section of the Highland Cemetery is ten feet by ten feet, which includes two gravesites. (Each grave being 60 inches wide by 120 inches long) By today’s standards this is a waste of land and reduces the amount of graves available for sale.
After investigating the typical lost sizes available in cemeteries located in surrounding towns, and conferring with the companies that are handling the interments and placement of monuments for Newton, a motion was made to resize the lots in this section of the cemetery. (This would not include lots in which interments have already been made.)
It was determined that a width of 40 inches and a length of 120 inches was the optimum, and minimum, size of a gravesite. This will allow us to have three (3) gravesites in each currently plotted lot instead of two gravesites. This constitutes an increase in gravesites of approximately 30 %.
A motion was made by Bill Landry and seconded by Ray Thayer to change the size of the rear lots.
Motion was passed unanimously.
] REDESIGN LAYOUT / SIZE OF LOTS (CONT.):
It was also observed that in the map layout of the rear of the Highland Cemetery, no allowance had been made for the inclusion of roadways to access interior graves.
It is standard for cemeteries to provide roadways between every two rows of burial plots to allow access for interments or visits without “tramping” over other graves.
A discussion was held on the best way to alter the current layout to achieve our goals of inserting roadways in consistent and logical fashion.
A motion was made by Ron Saunders and seconded by Ray Thayer to proceed in the following manner.
- In the spring the map would be reviewed and certain rows would be designated as
roadways and removed as saleable lots. Markers would be placed to identify roadways.
- Persons who may have un-interred lots in the proposed roadways would be
contacted and asked to exchange their lots for different lots.
- Lots, in which interments have already occurred, will not be included in this plan.
Motion was passed unanimously.
] BUDGET:
The 2008 cemetery expenses were reviewed. The actual year to date expenses totaled $6,967. The estimated end of year expenses, which is made up of yet to be performed grounds maintenance, is $9,022. This leaves an unused amount of $79.
The 2009 spending budget shown below was proposed.
GENERAL LEDGER ACCOUNT |
GEN. LEDGER ACCOUNT NUMBER |
2009 BUDGET |
PERSONNEL EXPENSE: |
~ |
~ |
Salaries |
4195113 |
~ |
~ |
~ |
~ |
EQUIPMENT EXPENSES: |
~ |
~ |
Rental / Purchase |
4195208 |
~ |
Expendables-Gas & Oil |
4195265 |
~ |
Grounds Maintenance |
4195345 |
$ 10,410 |
~ |
~ |
~ |
OTHER EXPENSES: |
~ |
~ |
Various Supplies: |
~ |
~ |
Supplies |
4195361 |
$ 500.00 |
Supplies / Flags etc… |
4195363 |
$ 400.00 |
Misc. |
4195389 |
$ 100.00 |
TOTALS: |
~ |
$ 11,410 |
] BUDGET (CONT.)
A motion was made by Bill Landry, and seconded by Ron Saunders, to submit the
proposed budget to the Board of Selectmen.
The motion was passed on a vote of 2 – 0. Trustee Thayer abstained due to his position
as a member of the Board of Selectmen.
] OTHER:
- WARRANT ARTICLE TO RESURFACE SECTION OF HIGHLAND ROADWAY:
Currently there is a section of road in the Highland Cemetery that becomes wet and muddy in the spring
making it unusable for vehicular traffic. Road Agent Mike Pivero supplied an estimate for materials and
labor to resurface the roadway from the Tomb building around to the back of the “U” shaped roadway.
the estimate was $2000.00.
A discussion was held as to the best way to approach requesting funds for the improvement. Should it be added to the 2009 Budget Proposal or be submitted as a warrant article.
A motion was made by Ron Saunders and seconded by Bill Landry to proceed with creating a warrant article.
Motion passed unanimously.
] MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:15 PM
Respectfully submitted,
William G. Landry
William G. Landry
Chairman
Newton Cemetery Trustees
(3)
| 
