Cemetery Trustees
Minutes of Trustee’s April 12, 2012 Meeting
Members present: Mike Hughes, Ron Saunders, Bill Landry
Meeting called to order at 5:02 PM. at the Newton Historical Society Headquarters. Minutes were taken by William Landry.
OLD BUSINESS:
- CLEANUP OF HOYT FAMILY CEMETERY:
Trustee Landry will send an email to Mike Chaisson of Scout Troop 91 to see if they are interested in assisting in the cleanup project. Troop 91 assisted with the cleanup of the Chase Family Cemetery in 2008.
NEW BUSINESS:
Michael Hughes was re-elected Chairman 2012. The nomination was made by W. Landry and seconded by R Saunders. Motion unanimously passed.
William Landry was re-elected Bookkeeper and Secretary. Nomination made by Ron Saunders
and seconded by Mike Hughes. Motion unanimously passed.
Ron Saunders was re-elected Warden. Nomination made by Mike Hughes and seconded by Bill
Landry. Motion unanimously passed.
The department’s year end actual spending indicated a surplus of $ 163.40. Maintenance of the grounds consumed 87 % of the yearly spending.
The department is operating on a default budget. The budget submitted was $12,845.00. The default budget is $13,450.00. This is a result of $605.00 contractual increase in the maintenance of the cemetery grounds.
There remains one “lost” cemetery; a cemetery deep in the woods on Whittier St. in the Packer Meadows area. The trustees were approached last year by a local resident who claims to know the exact location of this cemetery. This summer the trustees will locate and identify this cemetery.
- WILLOW GROVE CEMETERY LAWN PROJECT:
Warrant Article # 16, to re-store the lawn in the front section of Willow Grove, was passed by the town voters. The plan is to put the project out for bid in August. The work will be done in the fall, Sept. or Oct., as determined by the landscaper selected.
This project will require the closing of the cemetery for a period of time to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Notice will also be given that all memorials, trinkets and mementos placed on the graves must be removed prior to the projects commencement or they will be discarded.
The same procedure used the past few years for scheduling maintenance will be used in 2012. The trustees will monitor the condition of the cemeteries and schedule maintenance accordingly. The intent is to ensure our limited funds last the entire season. We anticipate being able to mow and trim each of the three (3) cemeteries twelve (12) times and clean each cemetery twice; once in the spring and again in the fall. (The optimal number of mowing and trimmings at each cemetery would be 18 – 20, our available funds do not allow for that)
Sections “A” thru “M” of Highland Cemetery will be “re-measured” to authenticate the correctness of the cemetery map that is used for selling graves and carrying out interments. Once completed, the computer versions of the map will be professionally updated and reprinted. The “map drawer” at the town hall contains copies of all old and updated maps.
- Prior to Memorial Day the Veteran flags will be place at the Highland, Willow Grove, Town Hall and Farmer Cemeteries. The fourth grade class at the Newton Memorial School will place the flags at Willow Grove; the Newton Historical Society will place the flags at the other cemeteries.
- Each year for many years, the Cemetery Trustees have provided Veteran flags to the Union Cemetery Assoc. at no cost. The cost to the cemetery trustee’s budget is approximately $125.00 per year.
The veteran flags in the town cemeteries are left up year round and definitely require replacement each year. It has come to the trustee’s attention that the Union Cemetery displays the flags for only two or three weeks beginning on Memorial Day. If this is true, it is felt that there should be no need to supply flags to the association each year. With that procedure, the trustees feel those flags should be good for two or three years. This will be investigated and if found to be accurate we will contact the Assoc. about our providing flags every 2 or 3 years.
- Trustee Hughes investigated the possibility of purchasing permanent Veteran Flag holders for use at the cemeteries. The cost per holder is approximately $9.00. That would mean a total cost of about $2,700.00. It was quickly decided that we could not afford to do this so, we will continue to place the flags in the ground next to the Veteran’s headstones.
Meeting adjourned at 6:25 PM
Respectfully Submitted,
William G. Landry
Newton Cemetery Trustees
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