El RenoCemetery Board
Minutes 7-14-2016
Page 1
CITY OF EL RENO CEMETERY BOARD
Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held Thursday, July 14, 2016
Pursuant to the legal notice as is required by the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, including the posting of the notice and agenda, the El Reno Cemetery Board met in Regular Session Thursday,July 14, 2016, at
4:00 P.M. in the City HallConference Room in the El Reno MunicipalBuilding, 101 North Choctaw Avenue,ElReno, Oklahoma. Said notice and agenda were posted on the bulletin board in the Lobby of the El Reno Municipal Building, on Tuesday, July 12,at 3:00 P.M.
Members Present:Craig Huber, Chairman
Linda Moore, Member
David Tinsley, Member
Bert Allen, Member
Members Absent:Scott Ryan, Vice-Chairman
Staff Present:Jeff Kouba, Public Works Director (ar 4:10 pm)
Jeff Culpepper, Cemetery Sexton (ar 4:10 pm)
Marsha Leck, City Treasurer
Vera Mae Morse, Recording Secretary/Cemetery Records Clerk
Item No. 1 – Call Meeting to Order. Chairman Huber called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m., declaring a quorum of fourmembers were present.
Item No. 2 – Consider Approval or Amendment to the Minutes of the Regular Quarterly Meeting heldApril 14, 2016. MemberTinsleymoved, Member Mooreseconded, to approve the meeting minutes of April 14, 2016,as written. Votes were AYE: Allen, Huber,Moore,and Tinsley. NAY: None. Chairman Huberdeclared the motion carried 4-0with one absentee (Ryan).
Item No. 3 – Presentation and Discussion of Cemetery Financial Reports for FY2015-16 (7/01/15 thru 6/30/16). City Treasurer Marsha Leck presented the following reports:
Cemetery Care fund has balance of $173,386.17. Reports of revenues and expenses are on the attachments in packet.
Perpetual Care has balance of $159,862.24. ($151,888.80 reserved, with only $7,973.44 spendable funds). Treasurer Leck advised will be investing funds to earn interest. Some discussion concernedthe City Codes on account interest and how it was affected when bank changed ownership. Judge approved City’s annual report on cemetery finances. We do have CD’s in every local bank. The Perpetual Care funds are used to take care of the cemetery.
Everlasting Carehas total balance of $119,544.49. (including $7,375.14interest).
[This item was created by Ordinance in 2005 to set aside $100 of each gravesite sale for future maintenance of the cemetery when all available gravesites have been sold. The ultimate goal is $1.2 million; then the interest should assist the City with future maintenance.]
Item No. 4 – Discussion, Consideration, Report, and/or appropriate action on the Office Remodel Project in Cemetery Building. Sexton Culpepper reported that basically the front lobby has new tile floor but need to add the faceboard, and the handicap restroom is completed for public use. Willie Baeriswyl has been helping to mow, so the building progress is on idle. We are doing extra work in spraying weeds and cleaning up the cemetery.
Robert’s Glass installed the storefront handicap doors and window. Gene’s Plumbing and Tom Lloyd Electric installed utilities. Estimated about 30’ x 50’ for remodel area to include a Family room, handicap restroom, employee restroom & shower, utility room, breakroom, hallway, and two offices.
Item No. 5 – Discussion,Consideration, Report, and/or appropriate action on purchasing a drill to installflag holders into the concrete foundation of grave markers. Discussion concerned whether this is a one-time situation to help a widow (Heupel has not brought a new flag holder since last meeting), or do we want to make it be a service offer to the public? Director Kouba advised a small drill would cost between $300-$400 as a small tool line itemand might be good to have on hand, but need to consider future liability as a service. However, we probably should take care of the Heupel request. Member Allen moved, seconded by Member Tinsley, to take care of the Heupel flag holder and not buy the equipment to take care of flag holders on a regular basis. Votes were AYE: Allen, Huber, Moore, and Tinsley. NAY: None. Chairman Huber declared the motion carried 4-0 with one absentee.
Item No. 6 – Discussion, Consideration, Report, and appropriate action concerning Signage to Clean UpCemetery regarding decorative violations and Maintenance of Items on Gravesite.
Sexton Jeff Culpepper commented he had presented his ideas on signage to City Manager Galloway to proceed but don’t know the status.
He mentioned the Smith-Keena gravesites as an on-going violation. A letter had been sent to Mr. Smith as well as talking to him. Various boards have been removed from the site; however, recently he has placed some posts around the gravesites and filled in with white rocks. When Sexton Culpepper attempted to contact him at the gravesite, Mr. Smith made a threatening comment about people stealing stuff off his wife’s grave, so he left him alone.
Mr. Blackowl also complained about the solar lights on his wife’s grave being broken. He sat at the gravesite and watched the guys mowing, then told them to slow down. There is another gravesite that has about 20 solar lights on it. It is difficult to know what to do with all this clutter.
Discussion concerned possibly allowing Mr. Smith to sign an agreement that he would maintain his wife’s gravesite since it is out of regulation, with the stipulation that once it became unkept, the staff would remove those violations. There have been a lot of things put on the gravesites that can be projectiles while mowing so they become dangerous and create a hazardous working environment. A cemetery is meant to be calm, serene and peaceful. Any corporate cemetery has strict rules and keep it plain and simple.
Discussion concerned Warren Monument installing a large monument on the Mills lot in the marker row, and how to proceed with moving it to the correct locationin the monument row. Warren Monument does not want to take responsibility for setting in the wrong location, and asked who was going to pay the cost to move it. PW Director Kouba advised it would not be too difficult to break it down and reset the base. He and Amy Smith will contact Angela Mills to advise of the situation. Then she can decide if she would like Warren Monument or City Staff to move it.
Item No. 7 – Discussion, Consideration, Report, and/or appropriate action on Columbarium Interment Sealing Requirements. Chairman Huber took picture of the niche decorative fasteners in Resurrection Cemetery. Perhaps they might work for us to fix the tamper-proof key situation. Have not heard what the Mayor or City Manager Galloway learned at their meeting with the FCI and possibly using their metal shop CFC machine to make something to meet the need.
Sexton Culpepper advised that Penwright removed the granite niche door where they had their mother’s data engraved and said they would use it at another location and wanted to sell their niche. They need to replace that granite door, so need to get cost. We don’t buy back niche or graves, so they would have to sell it, but only if a door was there. Chairman Huber recalls that we had extra doors when we ordered the columbarium, but McCray says the doors are different sizes. Don’t understand that, but need to measure and order another door to get the cost to charge Penwright for the replacement door.
Item No. 8 – Discussion, Consideration, and appropriate action concerning Fencing Project. Member Tinsley obtained estimate of material costs for East side: 6’ tall fencing with two rails for about $30,550 cost for 163 panels 8’ long, average about $187 each. Public Works would send crew of four guys to help install fencing. Members thought it should be installed by a fencing company who knows the precision installation of posts. Considering $35,000 for the North fence and $30,550 estimate for East fence materials, we should set goal of $65,000. Once we get the total project price, we could make application to Ashbrook for a grant to benefit community cemetery; then perhaps create a fund-raising project to match the grantfunds. Chairman Huber declared that we will get bid on fencing and give to PW Director to write the grant app.
Chairman Huber advised that a man told him how nice the cemetery looks, so the public is noticing.
Item No. 9 – Discussion, Consideration, and appropriate action concerning Cemetery Equipment.
PW Director Kouba advised they have a diesel & gas tank on-site in order to save time of employees having to go get fuel off-site. We alternate between Shorts and Johnson fuel delivery to the Cemetery. Plan to build a stockade fence around it. Also tie into the East/West fence at the West end to secure the Cemetery. Have a gate for trash to get heavy trucks off the streets. Have a dumpster for decorations. Bought a new weed-eater. Will buy split-boom with attachments.
Item No. 10 – Report fromPublic Works Director Jeff Kouba. PW Director Kouba commented he is proud of the guys doing a good job. Current plan is to clean up more around area where cemetery house was demolished and to secure the area. Stop some night situations. Automatic close gates so no activity after 8:30 pm or dark. Could close the main gate and manually lock it. The on-call person’s job would include locking the gates at dark. Have only one automatic motorized locking gate. Make all entrances to match with arch. Member Tinsley advised the automatic gates take lots of maintenance. He will get a price quote for Board to consider.
Member Allen inquired if could have area for people to park cars near a walk-through gate into cemetery.
Item No. 11– Report from Cemetery SextonJeff Culpepper. Sexton Culpeppermentioned one gravesite burial of veteran with color guard service occurred during rain. He felt bad for them and gave people permission to use the pavilion, but they did not. Members agreed that if the pavilion is not reserved or being used, it is up to Sexton’s discretion to allow use of pavilion during inclement weather.
Sexton mentioned that the pavilion canvass is in bad shape and needs to be replaced. The original curtain company is out of business. Member Tinsley mentioned some rock is missing from pillars and Member Allen mentioned caulking the hole in the roof. Chairman Huber mentioned installing a ceiling when we can afford it to keep out birds. Need to get some estimates on new roll-down curtain, etc.
Secretary Morse mentioned that there are only about 36 gravesites remaining in Third addition so need to think about surveying another block nearby so family can be together in same area. Chairman Huber advised it was about $1,800 to survey Catholic Block 7. Sexton Culpepper estimated about 65 Acres of the 80 Acre Cemetery has been filled. There were about 12,000 gravesites left to sell when we set up ELC. Discussion then concerned available land nearby. Kouba heard talk about a housing addition to the West and there are horses and a pond to the south. Heard the owner wanted too much for the land.
Item No. 12– Consider Communications from the Public. There were none.
Item No. 13– Consider New Business of an Emergency Nature that had not been contemplated at the time of the agenda preparation. There was none.
Item No. 14– Consider Motion for Adjournment. Member Allen moved, Member Tinsleyseconded, that the meeting be adjourned. Votes were AYE: Allen,Huber, Moore,and Tinsley. NAY: None. Chairman Huber declared the motion carried 4-0, and the meeting was adjourned at 5:30p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Vera Mae Morse, Cemetery Records ClerkNext regular meeting: October 13, 2016