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Home My WebLink About2021-3-10 NANTUCKET CEMETERY COMMISSION 2021 AFK 16 AM 10: 3 Posted Meeting of March 10, 2021, at 3:00 pm Virtual Meeting via Zoom Video Conference FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES Attendance: Commissioners: Frances Karttunen, Scott McIver, Allen Reinhard (Chair). Lee Saperstein, and Barbara White; Staff: Isabel Jordan and Hannah Nicolle, DPW. 1. Call to Order. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm. 2. Public Comment. There was no public comment. Allen Reinhard said that he had been contacted by Jack Weinhold, who asked if Nantucket had considered "Green Burials," i.e., burial directly into the ground without preservatives or caskets. He told Jack Weinhold that the Commission had, without resolution, discussed them. Lee Saperstein reminded the commissioners that we would need to amend the regulations if we chose to allow these burials. Allen Reinhard said that we would discuss Green Burials again in a future agenda. [Action: Put Green Burials onto a future agenda.] 3. Approval of Minutes from February 10, 2021. Scott McIver moved, Frances Karttunen seconded, and the Commission unanimously approved the minutes from the meeting of February 10, 2021. The vote was by roll call. 4. Approval of Lot Sales Since Last Meeting. Allen Reinhard asked Hannah Nicolle if there had been any submissions since our last meeting and she said yes, Ken Phillips had applied for Lot E-21 in Polpis. Scott McIver moved approval. Lee Saperstein seconded, and the Commission voted unanimously by roll-call vote to approve the sale. Scott McIver asked if the new lot-sale procedure had been followed and the reply was. "yes. it had." 5. Polpis Cemetery Brush Removal and Latest Developments. Allen Reinhard reported that the DPW has cleared brush, as promised, at Polpis right up to the existing boundaries of the cemetery. The fencing has not yet been renewed but is so scheduled. Scott McIver said that he had been out there and it looks great. 1 Allen Reinhard also reported that the maintenance work had stimulated a call from the attorney for the abutters to the east who wanted to know what was happening at Polpis. Allen Reinhard related the number of contacts and discussions, beginning in June 2015. when one of the owners of the abutting property attended a commission meeting, and extending to the present. All of these discussions are reported in meeting minutes. Barbara White said that they should have known that maintenance work was scheduled at Polpis because the trees were marked with surveyors' tape. Allen Reinhard will meet with Ken Beaugrand on the next day after the meeting to discuss the complaint. He noted that, as the grade descends to the eastern boundary. the commissioners may want to look at options for lot layout and memorial stone placement. He also said that he would go out to the cemetery and do some additional clearing. He was not sure when: Frances Karttunen asked that, when he knows to inform her because she would like to go along with him. At this point. Lee Saperstein noted that Agenda Item 7. also related to Polpis Cemetery lot layouts and asked if we could not keep going with layout issues. All agreed. Allen Reinhard related that close to 100 lots had been sold at Polpis and that 38 remain unsold. He said that it was time to extend the existing rows to the north into the newly cleared area of the cemetery. The existing lots began at number 9, e.g., C-9. D-9. E-9. etc.. and we could easily add ten more lots to each row, providing 50 additional lots. At this point. Scott McIver held up a sketch map of the cemetery (his map and one other are attached to these minutes). Allen Reinhard also said that we should think about layouts to the east. i.e.. up to the abutters' property but we need not do anything actual until we know about the disposition of the proposed land swap. Scott McIver asked if the commission should visit the cemetery with a formal field trip and the reply was. "yes." This will require posting the field trip as a formal meeting of the commission, providing information about it to the public. When asked by Frances Karttunen as to when, Allen Reinhard replied just as soon as he can line up a surveyor to accompany the group. Hannah Nicolle added that the DPW is looking into the acquisition of surveyor services. Once the lots are surveyed, toe and corner markers will need to be ordered. The former will carry specific lot numbers. 6. Update: Bench and Tree at Miacomet Burial Ground Surfside Entrance. Hannah Nicolle reported that the DPW had moved the bench so that it no longer sits in front of the memorial stone and entrance to the Miacomet Indian Burial Ground on Surfside Road. She also said that a title search found no history of ownership of the triangle of land upon which sits the stone. Despite the GIS designation of ownership by the Sachems Path Homeowners Association, it is. at the moment. of"unidentified ownership." A search of DPW files found no documentation for the original purchase and placement of the bench. Allen Reinhard said that he preferred to enter the cemetery from Benjamin Drive so as not to have to park on the edge of Surfside Road. Frances Karttunen reported that there are people with concerns for the preservation of the cemetery. She and Allen Reinhard recalled the early archaeological survey that revealed the extent of the cemetery and the controversy that arose when the land was proposed to be used for 2 housing. This led to an extensive discussion of the cemetery's history up to its rededication. Scott McIver said that, as the weather warms, he expects to paint the lettering in the stone. perhaps at the end of March or in early April. 7. Quaise Monument Update. Allen Reinhard and Scott McIver reported on progress in inscribing the memorial stone for the Quaise Asylum Burial Ground. The stone itself is in the Paterson yard and, also, awaiting better weather in which to do the inscribing. It should be done by the next meeting of the commission. at which it can discuss publicity for installation in May. The publicity release could go to the newspaper, I & M, the Nantucket Historical Association, NHA, and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, NCF. Consideration should be given to a dedication/rededication ceremony at the cemetery. Allen Reinhard said that he was aware that we need directional signs as discussed at the last meeting and he will see that they get installed. [Action. Prepare and install directional signs at Altar Rock Road.] 8. Polpis Cemetery Plan for Layout of New Lots at Polpis. This item was discussed as part of item 5. 9. Commissioners Comments, Old, New and Other Business. Under old business, Allen Reinhard reviewed the substantial progress that has been made in completing items on the cemetery work lists. He noted that one outstanding project is the condition survey of memorial stones. Scott Mclver said that he would be meeting with Rob McNeil in a few days to discuss creating a request for bids to go to companies that have experience with monument restoration 10. Adjournment came by consensus at 4:03 pm. Next regular meeting: Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at 3:00 pm by Zoom Video Conferencing Respectfully submitted: ; Date: Lee W. Saperstein 3 ,} iS '''4' ~D 14 S F ) - _ - r• / f \�m Y _ _• , • T iEF' 3 4 4 / / / / . / / , -- .,--...../ - . \ .. ,,, - 1t (... ....• •••k. ...... ,c.• • •. . i ---- - - ( k:•••• r) e' . . r I \ ,., J ! . .% .., Lir R.1(711.r ',....,•/'•-1 I • ..,. . , ) . .) (-- ..e ji, I. I , , ,,.. %.,.,.., , At - q . ,f.- ',.'2 ',, `1, •-- VI:III.) ,-v• . - ' ..,\ •01 ;,., ...-R-.4\•,i_. • ••,, l':..'jl.' 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