Halifax Cemetery Commission
Special Meeting
Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 9:30 AM
Halifax Town Office, 246 Branch Road, West Halifax, VT
Commission Members: Linda Swanson, Gary Rand, Laurel Copeland
DRAFT Minutes
CALL TO ORDER at 9:31 am
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – minutes from special meeting on Dec. 11, 2024, were approved.
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – Niles.
NEW BUSINESS
Mowing Crew Scheduling – The Cemetery Commission will ask mowing crews to commit to the following season by January 31 of each year and request new bids from contractors. Unscheduled cemeteries are Bascom, Niles Farm, Stafford, and Worden for later this summer. These are done twice a year. Bascom, Stafford, and Worden need the bids (LC). Niles Farm is maintained privately. Dave Heilman takes care of Wicks and Whitneyville.
FYE2026 budget (July 1 2025-June 30 2026) – We have $15,653 in the Cemetery Fund as of June 2 after paying for Pennel Hill ($1300 in Restoration).
Do we need to ask for bids on the stumps in Pennel Hill? Probably not. Doesn’t affect mowing and roots can be dug through in case that area is needed for a plot.
The estimate from October 2022 for FYE2026 was $21,141.
Complete new area: We need to get the rail fence installed at Niles; that should be done this FY. 145’ along road [6/13 update: 140’]. 16 posts. 30 rails. GR will handle the fill dirt. LS will ask John to dig the holes time & rental. LS will find suppliers of post & rails.
We will recheck the measurement and install cornerstones Friday June 13 at 9:30 AM in Niles.
Complete new area: Can we demarcate the roads in the new section? Surveyor’s spray paint on wheel could be used before a ceremony to keep vehicles on the roadways.
Gravel fill: Niles needs the slope moderated ASAP (GR). We need to start filling in holes in Halifax Center, Niles, Whitneyville urgently. Center and Whitneyville need fill for hollows among graves. Later we will add top soil & seed.
Whitneyville stumps need a bid to grind down (LC).
Stone repairs: West Halifax, Worden, Stafford, Bascom, Adams (“Hall Family”)
Trees: We will seek bids for tree removal from Stanclift from Billy (GR), Wimmelman (LC), Walker (LC).
Restoration: We will reset a cornerstone in Center that heaved & was hit by equipment.
Survey Pennel Hill expansion – we will ask Brad Lackey to survey the back of Pennel Hill and plat new plots arranged as the existing ones are (LS).
OLD BUSINESS
Deed specifications regarding urns atop coffins – We are waiting to hear back on how to amend a deed.
OTHER BUSINESS – Niles repairs to the ground dug up by the excavator for Drost have begun in that the mounds of dirt have been leveled; we will inspect while measuring the fence line and installing cornerstones. [6/13 update: tracks still evident; path and grave areas both need smoothing and seeding.]
We proposed amending the regulations to say that we can delay opening any cemetery for wet ground conditions in the spring. Proposed, seconded, unanimously approved.
HEARING OF VISITORS – None.
ADJOURNMENT at 10:45 am
ACTION ITEMS
Gary: order fill gravel for Niles, Whitneyville, West Halifax. Urgent!
Gary: Tree bid for tree removal in Stanclift from Billy
Linda: ask John to dig the holes for cost of his time & equipment rental.
Linda: find suppliers of post & rails; report costs (cedar split rail, cedar full round rail, pressure-treated split rail, pressure-treated full round; 2 rails per section; 145 feet; 30 rails and 16 posts).
Linda: Ask Brad Lackey to survey the back of Pennel Hill and plat new plots arranged as the existing ones are.
Laurel: look into surveyor’s spray paint on wheel
Laurel: need a bid to grind down Whitneyville stumps
Laurel: Tree bid for tree removal in Stanclift from Wimmelman & Walker
Laurel: Bascom, Stafford, and Worden need bids for 1x mowing in fall
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