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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCemetary Commission Minutes 02.17.1999 MII~)TES CEMETERY BOARD FEBRUARY 17, 1999 5:00 P.M. CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Norman Orr, Chairman Lloyd Shay William Staudinger Chuck Rodgers Ken Olson Dirk Kroll Cathy Gabrian Andy Loebe Lee Barndt Regulations for the cemetery were discussed. At a previous meeting Bruce Lefler, Cemetery Caretaker, stated that the assorted decorations and memorials have created maintenance problems. Andy, Bruce and Cathy walked through the cemetery and identified the different problems. We have the regulations to prevent this sort of thing but we have not enforced them. In order to make our grounds maintenance more efficient, we need to start enforcing our regulations. An ad was put in the Laurel Outlook and a stuffer will be put in the utility bills this month stating that all decorations and memorials that do not conform to City regulations will be removed and disposed of by April 1, 1999. We will continue to allow decorations for a two week period around Memorial Day. Cathy reviewed the current regulations with the committee and noted a few changes that will help clarify our rules. In regard to monuments, Lee felt we need to continue to allow monuments in the older sections of the cemetery. Much discussion regarding the problems they can cause when digging around them. It was the consensus of the committee to continue to allow them in the older sections of the cemetery. Cathy will check with the City Attorney to see if we can put a liability clause in our regulations and we will check with the Billings cemeteries to see how they address' this situation. A resolution for the revised regulations will go to the council on March: 2, 1999. Cathy asked permission to renumber Section O in a continuous numerical order. This is the west portion of the Catholic Cemetery that we will now use for general burials. It was the consensus of the committee to allow renumbering of Section O. Chuck stated that he spoke to Bob Schessler regarding the cemetery and made two proposals. The first would be to purchase enough land to square up the cemetery and allow for a double width road around the entire perimeter. The second proposal would include the first in addition to purchasing the remaining ground north to Airport Road. Bob asked that a survey and appraisal be done. Jim Worthington.has been contacted and should have a survey done with two weeks. We will then pursue an appraisal. Chuck has been told that the ground would go for approximately $ 1,800 $ 2,000 per acre. The price is high because it is based on the price that ranchettes are going for, not farm ground. Discussion regarding the gully in the land to the north of the cemetery. If we are able to purchase it, we will have to research how best to handle this area. Discussion regarding the problems trees create for maintenance but it was also felt that trees contribute to the beauty of a cemetery. Andy stated that some cemeteries are now going to upright juniper bushes instead of evergreen trees. Meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, brian Deputy Clerk-Treas.