July 21, 2023 Cemetery Commission Regular Meeting Minutes

Halifax Cemetery Commission

Regular Meeting

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 9:30 AM

Halifax Town Office, 246 Branch Road, West Halifax, VT

Or Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=bTRLMCtDdzgrR2NndWV5andxTG0vUT09

Attendees: Linda Swanson, Gary Rand, Laurel Copeland

DRAFT MEETING MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER at 9:30 am

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES – from meeting on June 22, 2023 were approved.

 

CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – LAC proposes adding nomination of Cemetery Commission chair (GR) and treasurer (LS) and clerk (LC); new plot requests

 

NEW BUSINESS

Cemetery Commission chair (GR) and treasurer (LS) and clerk (LC) were nominated and approved.

 

New plot requests – where do they come from? How do we know? Town Clerk receives the requests and conveys them to the Cemetery Commission. LS called the inquiring party from Monday 7/17/2023 and has not heard back; GR will call again. We need to know what cemetery. A plot deed has not been found. For new plot purchases, the customer gives the Clerk a check for the plot but does not get the deed until the Cemetery Commission gets the cornerstones from the customer.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Update on fulfilling requests for plots – client in Whitneyville is purchasing cornerstones for a 12-plot block, Halifax Center client is purchasing cornerstones for a 2-plot block.

 

VOCA grant – submitted July 21, 2023 via email to Dianne Leary, VOCA grants administrator (dleary123@yahoo.com).

 

Funds management and projections — $868 balance. Needs include surveying ($3700 through spring 2024), mowing (~$7000/year), GPR ($2000/acre). Approximately $10,800 is in 2 CD’s. The Cemetery Commission will use FY24 funds this calendar year and pull funds from the CDs in January 2024 (or ask the Trustee for Public Funds to put them in 3-month CDs for March 2024).

  • GR proposed that new purchases of cremation openings should incur a cost of $100 beginning CY2024 and that plot prices be increased by $25 each (regulations amendment required).

 

Managing Halifax cemeteries –

  • Met 7/18/2023 with surveyor Brad Lackey ofcom in Niles & West Halifax Cemeteries. He proposed a schedule to survey and plot the 2 cemeteries in fall 2023 and spring 2024.
  • The Cemetery Commission needs help repairing stones and cleaning Whitneyville stones.
  • LS emailed Tom Giffin of VOCA regarding what to do with old stones that were replaced (e.g., leave on walls). He replied that in Rutland he decided to leave the old pieces behind the new monument so people can see them. Old stones can be removed to an unused corner of the cemetery or buried. He said it is up to us.

OTHER BUSINESS

Availability of the online program used in Wilmington that shows plot map – discussion of Record Hub (said to be user-friendly by Brad) and NEMRC (used by Halifax and Readsboro).

HEARING OF VISITORS – None.

ADJOURNMENT – 10:58 am.

ACTION ITEMS

  • LS will email Darryl Calkins re doing GPR in Halifax Center Cemetery this fall.