HomeMy WebLinkAboutCemetary Commission Minutes 06.18.2008CEMETERY COMMISSION MINUTES
June 18, 2005
5:30 P.M. CITY HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Norm Stamper-Chairman Chuck Rodgers
Dick Fritzler Chuck Dickerson
LuAnne Engh Lee Barndt
OTHERS PRESENT: Kurt Markegard Cathy Gabrian
X. Public Input: No public in attendance.
2. Presentation on Preliminary Master Plan Drawings
Bill Enright and Jolene Reick with Interstate Engineering, Inc. attended the meeting to go aver the
preliminary drawings. Jolene said all four concepts have similarities as follows.
• Allpw for about 7,000 interment sites
• Maximum of 300' to any gravesite from the roads
• Roads are 20' wide
• Entry road off Laurel Airport Road
Concept A -This drawing has traffic circles that emulate the traffic circles in the Veteran's Cemetery.
It has two roads on the west side that connect to the new Veteran's Cemetery.
Concept B -This drawing also has two roads that connect to the Veteran's Cemetery. Orange trees
denote main routes and purple trees show secondary routes.
Concept C -This drawing has smaller sections, divided by ornamental trees. There is one turnaround
on the east side. There is no access to the Veteran's Cemetery.
Concept D -The street layout emulates the existing street layout of the Laurel Cemetery. It has two
roads that connect to the Veteran's Cemetery. This design is easily expandable as needed.
Discussion followed and it was questioned why the southeast corner was not included in the design. Bill
said he did not realize we owned that portion. Jolene will include this area with the next drawings.
Other items discussed were as follows.
• Move shop to east side of property and construct a building that has a nice facade.
+ Bill said we need to consider the natural drainage of the property when deciding where to
relocate the shop area.
• Have an access road all the way around the property on the south and east sides to allow
workers to bring in equipment, and access the shop area.
• Locate the dirt pile within shop area and have nice fencing and/or shrubbery to hide it from
public view.
• Eliminate access from Laurel Airport Road as it was felt the public would use this as a cutoff
to town.
• Include gathering area, possibly a gazebo or some such structure, where services could be
held.
• Area for a columbarium.
• Best use for area where pauper's graves are located. Norm asked Bill to check into the price
of ground penetration radar for this area. This area is central to the entire cemetery and we
would like to have it tie the old and new areas together.
Cemetery Commission Minutes
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• Sill stated the county may be interested in the ground where the current building sits, as a
maintenance shop for the Veteran's Cemetery, if we wanted to sell it. Cathy stated she would
like to see us keep this area and develop a nice entrance to the cemetery.
• Kurt asked about complying with ADA regulations. Jolene thought it would apply to any
gathering place within the cemetery but not access to gravesites. She will check into it further.
• Discuss need for curbing to protect road bed and what is best type to allow for equipment and
wheelchair access.
• Type of material to use for walkways: gravel verses mulch
Norm stated we want to do improvements to our current Veteran sections of the cemetery to honor the
veteran's who are buried there. Funds are available for this and Narm suggested possible fencing, flag
pole and monument for this area. Norm was wondering if it is possible to get this done before Veteran's
Day. Jolene will take his suggestions and work on it. It was suggested that we invite the veteran groups
to a meeting to get their input regarding the improvements.
It was stated that Laurel has unused water rights on the Yellowstone River. Kurt checked into it and
found that we can transport water from the Big Ditch to the High Ditch. With river rights, we cannot be
cut off by the ditch. The Cove Ditch will not allow us to pump into it and it does not have the capacity to
handle more water. The County will put in a pump on the High Ditch. The pump will do 225 gallons a
minutes at 58 PSI and there will be an 8" pipe from the pump to the cemetery. The capacity will allow
three days of irrigation for the Veteran's Cemetery and three days for our cemetery at a much higher
volume than we have now.
Jolene asked which drawing people favored. The consensus was to go with Plan A.
Motion by Chuck Dickerson, seconded by Lee Barndt to go with Plan A. Motion carried.
3. Meeting times
Norm said he will set up a schedule to meet regularly on a quarterly basis.
4. Other
Lee Barndt stated there is a lot of misconception about the Veteran's Cemetery. He has heard comments
that veterans will get a free funeral and all it entails. There are a lot of unanswered questions and it was
suggested that someone from their board attend a meeting to answer questions.
Kurt spoke regarding the problem/complaints we have had. People are upset with the lack of grass under
the pine trees and also with our policy of removing decorations after Memorial Day. He would like to
talk to the people who are upset and explain our situation. When this happens, they usually are very
understanding to the maintenance problems we face.
Kurt had a request from a veteran to cut down a pine tree in the veteran section. The tree is interfering
with the flag pole and dropping sap on the headstones. Kurt asked him to have the American Legion
write a letter to the mayor and council and they will address the issue. He is looking for a cleaner that
can be used on the headstones to remove the sap.
Meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.rn.
Respectfully su miffed,
Cathy G Brian
Deputy Clerk