HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 9 ...E A '"^ f 5 .z.
TOWN CLFR -,
NANTUCKET CEMETERY COMMISSION
Posted Meeting of February 9,2022,at 3:00 pm 2022 MAR 2 I AM 8: 5
Virtual Meeting via Zoom Video Conference
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES
Attendance: Commissioners: Frances Karttunen, Allen Reinhard (Chair), Lee Saperstein, and
Barbara White; Ken Beaugrand,Real Estate Specialist(left at 3:08 pm), Phyllis Ruguaru, DPW
Office Manager.
Absent: Scott McIver.
1. Call to Order.
Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm. He reminded participants that the
session was being recorded. A roll-call of attendees showed that a quorum existed.
2. Public and Commissioner Comments.
There were no public or commissioners' comments.
3. Approval of Minutes from January 12,2022.
Barbara White moved, Frances Karttunen seconded, and the Commission unanimously approved
the minutes from the meeting of January 12, 2022. The vote was by roll call.
4. Approval of Lot Sales Since Last Meeting.
Allen Reinhard reported that Samantha Sandler had applied and paid for lot G-18 in Polpis
Cemetery and that it was ready for Commission approval. Lee Saperstein moved approval of
this lot sale, Barbara White seconded, and the Commission voted unanimously by roll call to
approve the sale. Allen Reinhard also reported that the interment on Saturday, January 15, 2022,
of Amy Brock in lot HH-22 in the family plot in New North Cemetery had gone well. He had
observed the digging of the grave and had also visited afterwards to check on its refilling. The
family paid for the interment and the bulk of that fee went to Prospect Hill for their effort to inter
the casket. Five hundred dollars of that fee went to the Town of Nantucket for digging the grave.
Allen Reinhard will work with the Town to see that the sum goes into the correct cemetery
account. [Action ,Allen Retnhardsto work with the Finance`Departn ennt or the To un's
Procurement Offieer_to grange for deposition of the$500 check into the correct cemetery
account]
He also reported on his latest message to the Tarlov family about placing a memorial for Mrs.
Tarlov, mother to the correspondent, in the Quaker Cemetery. He had apologized to Dr. Tarlov
for his earlier incorrect statement,which has been corrected to inform him that the Commission
would accept a larger grave stone to accommodate the additional name or to have her name
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inscribed in the original stone but that a second stone was not acceptable. The Tarlov family is
working with Neil Paterson, Inc.,to pick between these choices.
5. Polpis Cemetery Latest Developments.
Ken Beaugrand reported that the land swap is high on his list of priorities and that Town Counsel
will be looking carefully at the conveyance documents. He has told Counsel of the concern for
rapid action and expects it soon. Allen Reinhard related that there are only 19 lots left unsold in
Polpis and that there is a pressing need for the new space. Ken Beaugrand left after his report.
6. Layout of New Lots at Polpis: Steps,Property Transfer,Layout of Lots, Order Toe and
Corner Markers.
In a continuation of comments on Polpis Cemetery, Allen Reinhard said that the conveyance will
require a boundary survey. He has asked the Water Company if their surveyors can layout future
lots at Polpis and was told that they are extremely busy now. He added that when it is time to do
the boundary survey,the Commission will find out if the surveyor can do the lot layout or
whether the Water Company staff will be available. When the new boundaries are established,
the Commission should schedule a meeting at Polpis to determine the best locations for new lots.
It will also be time to order new toe and corner markers for the new lots.
7. Lot Sale Procedures and Forms Review.
Allen Reinhard asked Phyllis Ruguaru to share her screen so that the Commissioners could view
the latest version of the flow chart for application procedures. He noted that it was simple and
effective and did have a space for Commission approval of each application. That step comes
after all application paperwork and payment has been received.
8. Monument Restoration Project Report Discussion and Next Steps.
Allen Reinhard reported happily that he now had a copy of the consultant's report of the
condition survey of monuments in five town cemeteries: Historic Coloured Cemetery,New
North Cemetery,Newtown Cemetery, Old North Cemetery, and the Quaker Cemetery. He noted
that commissioners had received digital copies of the report and that the DPW had created a
printed version for him. He was extremely impressed by the thoroughness of the study. He did
add, though,that he was disappointed that there were no cost estimates included in the report,
something that he had asked the consultants to provide.
He noted that the report speaks to the difference between conservation of monuments and their
total restoration. The report and the consultant,whom Allen Reinhard saw when she was on
Island, speak in favor of conservation. Scott McIver has sent an e-mail to commissioners
suggesting conservation. Frances Karttunen said that,while she was generally in favor of
conservation,there may well be stones that are so broken or fragmented that they need to be
restored. She is concerned that the history in the markers be preserved. If severely damaged
stones cannot be restored, she suggests that the fragments be given to the Town Clerk or the
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Nantucket Historical Association for safe keeping. If put into storage,the specific location of
where the stone was found, both cemetery name and GPS coordinates, should be recorded.
Frances Karttunen and Barbara White both spoke positively of the thoroughness of the study and
then pointed out that the report was filled with errors, both factual and typographical,that should
be fixed before the report is accepted by the Town. While many were minor,the mislabeling of
Historic Coloured Cemetery with its older name was particularly troubling. Because the version
that was received was in PDF format,they could not use "Track Changes"to locate and repair
the errors. They suggested that the Town ask for a"Word"version that they could edit. If they
cannot edit the text,they offered to create an errata sheet.
Once we have received an emended report,the Commission needs to work with the Town's
procurement officer in the Finance Department to create a request for bids for the actual work
that includes a schedule of work as well as priorities for where the work is to be done: cemetery
by cemetery or each category of damage across all cemeteries. The Finance Department can
advise on how best to pay for the study as well as the actual conservation work. It was noted that
the Community Preservation Committee grant should be tapped first. [Action Allen Reinhard
to contact the consultants to,ask if we may edit the text of the;report,and also if they can provide
an estimate of costs.to conserve,and restore where needed,the grave markers in the five
cemeteries, He.will;walso:advise Town Administration of this request.]
9. Black Cemetery Network.
Lee Saperstein reported that the Black Cemetery Network has accepted our application for
membership for, specifically,the Historic Coloured Cemetery. He has received several
messages from their web log that spoke well of our effort to preserve and protect this cemetery.
Any messages that he receives that are of general interest, he will forward. Frances Karttunen
said that she would attend their on-line meeting on this day.
10. Old,New, Other Business,and Cemetery Issues Update.
During the discussion of the monument restoration project, Frances Karttunen noted that she had
be told by a colleague that the plot of Whale Oil Gus's inurnment had not been grassed over.
Allen Reinhard said that the same thing was true of the Amy Brock interment site. He had been
reassured that turf replacement would occur once the ground was warm enough to support grass
growth.
Updates to the cemeteries, reported Allen Reinhard, include new split-rail fencing at New and
Old North cemeteries. Reporting on condition problems, Frances Karttunen said that she has
seen soil erosion at the Quaker Cemetery where people walk into it, presumably to cross, at
Upper Vestal Street. She said that a worn path should not be allowed to develop. Allen
Reinhard said that he would look at this site. She said also that we should schedule the
inurnment of the cremains held in the Clerk's Office. Phyllis Ruguaru said that the DPW will
dig the holes once the weather is warmer. With respect to the dedication of the new monument
at Quaise and the commission's request for the DPW to renew the corner fencing before the
dedication,Allen Reinhard reported that the DPW needs to be able to get equipment to the site
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and that this needs cooperation from the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Allen Reinhard
said that he would check with the Foundation on this need. Lee Saperstein suggested that the
inurnment and the dedication be returned as agenda items [Action =`Allen Reinhard to work
with the NGF to provide access to the DPW to therQuarse Asylum Burial Ground T.e will also
follow up with the DPW on the inurnments of the unclaimed remains .n the Clerk's Office 1He
will 4 spept the Qpak r C'errxitery for ergs on Thescacttv ties williO on'a future e0a]
10. Adjournment came by consensus at 4:11 pm.
Next regular meeting: Wednesday,March 9,2022, 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 March meeting. The Zoom link remains the same.
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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