HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-10 •
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NANTUCKET CEMETERY COMMISSION m 10
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Posted Meeting of November 10,2021,at 3:00 pm
Virtual Meeting via Zoom Video Conference cri
FINAL AND APPROVED,MINUTES o �
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Attendance: Commissioners: Frances Karttunen, Scott McIver,Allen Reinhard (Chair), and c
Lee Saperstein.
Absent: Barbara White S
1. Call to Order.
Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 3:03 pm. A roll-call of attendees showed
that a quorum existed.
2. Public and Commissioner Comments.
There was no public comment. Ken Beaugrand, Real Estate Specialist,while apologizing for an
inability;to attend because of a conflicting emergency meeting, sent an e-mail containing his
proposed comments. Lee Saperstein read the e-mail and the salient comments are repeated here.
(1) Vicki Marsh,Town Counsel,has reviewed the first draft of the MOU (Memorandum
of Understanding) and. when approved by the Hick's counsel, it will go to the
Committee for review;
(2) The appraisal has been ordered and is in progress as to the valuation of the parcels to
be swapped; and
(3) I need to arrange a surveyor to do a plan of the parcels to be exchanged. I will check
with Steven Arceneaux at the DPW to see who they had engaged for this part of the
process.
3. Approval of Minutes from October 13,2021.
Frances Karttunen moved, Scott McIver seconded, and the Commission unanimously approved
the minutes from the meeting of October 13, 2021. The vote was by roll call.
4. Approval of Lot Sales Since Last Meeting.
Allen Reinhard reported that his meetings with Phyllis Ruguaru, DPW pffice Administrator,
have been very productive. Her search in the files has found several transactions that need to be
affirmed or corrected; she has also reviewed and improved the application forms and improved
the filing system. He then proceeded to list the lot sales that have been made recently and
require approval and also the corrective actions that need to be made and approved by the
Commission. All of these actions are for lots in Polpis Cemetery.
• Lot E-24 (sale). Thomas W. and Jean A. Austin.
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• Lots D-22 &23 (double lot sale). Perry Edwards, III, and Evelyn Hall.
• Lot E-22 (sale). Brooks C. and Sally B. Hall.
• Lot E-23 (sale). Virginia Hall Birch.
• Lots F-17 and D-17 (Swap). Penny Dey exchanged F-17 for D-17, leaving F-17
without a conflict with Homer Ray, see below.
• F-27 (sale). Charles R. (Richard) and Christine (Teena)Loftin.
• F-16 & 17 (sale confirmed). The 2015 sale of these two lots to Homer Ray was
confirmed and the records corrected.
• F-16 (refund). Stefania Speck received a refund for F-16,which
she relinquished.
• F-18 (refund and clarification). Jeff Lee received a refund for F-18 and its
ownership by Elaine Dubois was confirmed.
After careful review of these actions,the Commission agreed to vote on one motion of approval
for all of them; so moved by Frances Karttunen, seconded by Scott McIver, and approved
unanimously by roll-call vote.
Allen Reinhard then went on to explain that some early transactions had not been filed correctly.
A great deal of research by Phyllis Ruguaru found the paperwork for these early sales, some
complete and some with applications and no payments. Allen Reinhard found earlier notes on
potential sales for which no applications had been filed. After seeking current telephone
numbers for the principals of these applications,they were able to complete the earlier records.
Four applications remain with no payment but for which promises have now been made.
5. Polpis Cemetery Latest Developments.
In addition to the newest developments for the land swap with the abutting neighbors that was
given by Ken Beaugrand (see above in Public Comments),Allen Reinhard noted that we had
originally laid out 135 lots at Polpis,three of which were invalid because they extended beyond
the cemetery boundary and two of which will be used for the unclaimed cremains inurnments.
Of the 130 available, 105 have already been sold. These numbers demonstrate the urgency for
completing the land swap. Lee Saperstein suggested that, once the surveyor has defined the
areas to be swapped and even before conveyances are made and recorded,that we could plot lots
on a map of the land coming into the cemetery so that the actual staking can be done the moment
that conveyance is approved. Allen Reinhard then added that we need to order additional toe
markers and they,will have to be enumerated with the new lot numbers We will also need more
corner posts [Action AllengRe nhard_to advise Ken Beaugra d ofthe need'for speed also,to
warkwith Phyllisuuguaru to order`toe andearner mark ers]
6. Record-Keeping Issues and Resolution.
As explained in Item 4. Lot Sales,Phyllis Ruguaru has done a lot of work in fixing files and
records. She has also updated the application procedure to make it swifter and more reliable and,
while doing so, worked with Allen Reinhard to revise the various forms �Actiort Put
procedural guidance and anew farmsTontoCemetery Commission web sit _ he oarms c
be madek o be,f llable.this would be a goad thing£]
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7. Inurnment of"Whale-Oil Gus",Sunday, October 17, 1:30 pm at Prospect Hill
Cemetery.
Allen Reinhard said that the inurnment of Augustus E. Folger's remains (Whale Oil Gus)went
extremely well. The weather was good and the comments by Frances Karttunen were excellent.
He noted that Scott McIver had arranged for a memorial stone,which was already there, and that
the Reverend Georgia Snell had given an invocation for Mr. Folger. The report in the
"Nantucket Current"was an excellent summary of the event and included a complete obituary
for Mr. Folger.
8. Ledbetter/Swain and Brenizer Lots at Polpis; Gerhard Lot at Old North: Form for
Ownership and How Many Inurnments?
Allen Reinhard reminded the Commissioners that we had discussed the number of potential
inurnments for the large-sized lots (10' by 10') in Polpis and the similarly sized lot in Old North
at the previous meeting. He believes at this time that the total number of inurnments, for
cremated remains, i.e., cremains, should be six. All present concurred and Allen Reinhard
offered to inform the three families of this decision [Action Allen Reinhard,to informethese•lot
avuner taf the•decrsic�n fc rxs rnt ,eats kin ch plot and to create ti for owners4]
9. Monument Restoration Project Underway.
Allen Reinhard asked Scott McIver to report on the monument restoration project,which he was
happy to do. The contractor's experts have been on Island for over five days and will be issuing
a report soon on the condition of monuments in the five cemeteries that they were asked to
survey. Once the report is received,they have suggested that we schedule a Zoom call among
the Commissioners and them for them to answer any questions that we might have.
10. Cemetery Issues.
Allen Reinhard reflected on the earlier work done by the Commission to survey cemetery
conditions and noted that there is an outstanding work order to repair or-replace fences. Given
the change in management in the DPW, he said that he would check with the Director on their
thinking about replacing damaged rails or installing new fencing as was originally proposed by
the former director. The cemeteries that need fencing renewal now are New and Old North and
Newtown Cemeteries. Frances Karttunen added that the corner fences at the Quaise Asylum
Burial Ground need to be renewed and the brush that has grown up around them needs to be cut.
She also said that the proposed signage at Altar Rock Road and the parking lots may prove to be
insufficient. She asked that at least one sign be placed along the path indicating the direction to
the cemetery. Allen Reinhard said that he would check with the DPW and its sign maker on the
status of fences and signs. Quaise Asylum Burial Ground belongs to the Nantucket Conservation
Foundation and he will approach their Executive Director to find out about,renewing the fencing
there and providing signage along the path. She also suggested that the memorial dedication at
Quaise will need to wait until there is new fencing and appropriate signage. [Achax z§Allen
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Reinhard to talk with the DPW Directol about teplactag fencingand,the creation o stgns at
Quaisealse a k:tc IC about Quaise renovat gil
11. Old,New,and Other Business: Green Burials and Updating Cemetery Regulations.
Lee Saperstein said that it was time to move the proposed amendments to the Cemetery
Regulations into a public hearing and thence to the official regulations. He moved that we ask
the Town for a public hearing on the proposal and Scott McIver seconded the motion. In
discussion,Frances Karttunen suggested editorial changes to reflect the current and correct
names of the Historic Coloured Cemetery and the Miacomet Indian Burial Ground. With those
changes,the Commission voted unanimously to forward the proposal.
Frances Karttunen asked also if logistics for the inurement of the eight unclaimed cremains had
been determined. She felt that some sort of ceremony would be appropriate.
12. Adjournment came by consensus at 4:14 pm.
Next regular meeting: Wednesday,December 8,2021, at 3:00 pm by Zoom Video
Conferencing. If regular face-to-face meetings resume,a notice will be sent with the
agenda for the September meeting. The Zoom link remains the same through the end of
this year.
Respectfully submitted: ; Date:
Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary
Nantucket Cemetery Projects List.
Cemetery monument condition survey.
Consolidation of lots at Newtown Cemetery with recordable ground survey.
Split rail fence at Polpis Cemetery.
Survey to lay out additional lots at Polpis.
Toe and lot corner markers for new Polpis lots when laid out.
Dedication of new monument at Quaise Asylum Burial Ground.
Fencing at the Historic Coloured Cemetery.
Fencing and brush removal at New and Old North Cemeteries.
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