CEMETERY TRUSTEES MEETING
Newton Town Hall
2 Town Hall Road – P.O. Box 378
Newton, NH 03858
Minutes of Trustee’s May 19, 2011 Meeting
Members present: Chairman Mike Hughes, Bill Landry, Ron Saunders
Guest: James Doggett, Chairman Trust Fund Trustees
Chairman Hughes called the meeting to order at 5:25 PM. at the Newton Town Hall
NEW BUSINESS:
- REVIEW OF USE OF TRUST FUND MONIES:
This meeting was precipitated by the Cemetery Trustee’s desire to use trust fund accumulated interest monies to improve the poor lawn conditions at the Willow Grove Cemetery. Whereas the Cemetery Trustees had no working knowledge of this process, Trust Fund Trustee Chairman James Doggett offered to attend the meeting and provide guidance and information of the process.
Mr. Doggett provided much insight into the workings of how trust fund monies are accumulated and dispersed. The two most critical pieces of information surfaced were:
- Improving the lawn at Willow Grove was an acceptable use of the funds. The planting of trees was not acceptable.
- Much to the dismay of the Cemetery Trustees, monies could not be obtained this year, 2011, for the planned improvements. Obtaining the funds must be part of the 2012 Cemetery budgeting process in the form of “Gross Budgeting”.
With this information in hand a motion was made and passed that a new General Ledger line item, “Anticipated Funds”, would be added to the 2012 budget. The value of the line item would be based on an estimate of the cost of completing the desired work.
- DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS FROM SALE OF GRAVESITES:
Mr. Doggett informed the trustees that for the past several years the procedure for accepting checks from the purchasers of graves has been incorrect. We have been requiring one (1) check from the purchaser made out to the Town of Newton, with the entire amount being deposited into the Common Trust Fund, when in fact; we should be collecting two (2) checks. One check made out to the Newton Cemetery Common Fund, for deposit in the Common Fund and the second to the Town of Newton for deposit in the appropriate town account. These check amounts to be determined by the Cemetery Trustees.
To facilitate the check writing and deposit process a motion was made and passed to assign an amount, for the sale of one grave, of $169.00 (52%) to the Common Fund check and $156.00 (48%) to the town check. (The price of a grave is currently $ 325.00) Obviously, these amounts change according to the number of graves purchased. This is to be effective immediately
Meeting adjourned at 6:45 PM.
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