HomeMy WebLinkAboutOct 12 22 I'Er irk
NANTUCKET CEMETERY COMMISSI NOY 16 rn la.
Posted Meeting of October 12,2022,at 3:00 pm '
DPW Conference Room, 188 Madaket Road with Zoom Connectivity
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES
Attendance: Commissioners: Frances Karttunen, Scott McIver,Allen Reinhard(Chair), Lee
Saperstein, and Barbara White;Ken Beaugrand, Real Estate Specialist(3:04 pm, left at 3:10
pm); Charlie Polachi and TaKyra Renner(DPW).
1. Call to Order.
Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 3:03 pm. He reminded participants that the session
was being recorded
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdvwiknCE3g&list=PL49sKgpy7VAh1yX 1 ozdd 1 bZ3zV8
kXFp8M&index=29). A roll-call of attendees showed that a quorum existed;the commissioners
approved the agenda.
2. Public and Commissioner Comments.
With no members of the public present,there were no public comments. At this point, Ken
Beaugrand joined by Zoom and Allen Reinhard offered him the floor. Ken Beaugrand reported
that the surveyor whom he thought could survey for the land swap at Polpis has now declined the
task. He suggested that we contact Leo Asadorian who may help the Commission to find
another surveyor. Allen Reinhard said that he will attempt to meet with him next week.
3. Approval of Minutes from September 14,2022.
Allen Reinhard asked for approval of the minutes of the meeting of September 14, 2022. Lee
Saperstein reminded him that we also have draft minutes for the meeting held at Polpis Cemetery
on October 7, 2022. For the former,Barbara White moved approval, Frances Karttunen
seconded, a roll-call vote was unanimously in favor. For the latter,Frances Karttunen moved
approval, Barbara White seconded, and a similar vote was unanimously in favor.
6. Discussion from October 7 Field Trip to Polpis; Plan for Layout of Additional Lots.
Barbara White moved that the Commission take up Agenda Item 5 (numbered here as 6.),the
Polpis discussion because of the information received from Ken Beaugrand. There was
unanimous acceptance of the move. She then spoke against the Town spending any money to
survey the cemetery in light of the resistance from the abutters to make the swap. She spoke in
favor of laying out new lots on the land available now in Polpis. Allen Reinhard noted that we
will need some kind of survey to lay out new lots. Lee Saperstein added that this would not be
recordable and,potentially,would be a lot cheaper. There was a sentiment to end the swap
process but Lee Saperstein suggested that we not abandon all hope of a swap and moved to
"mothball"the project. Scott McIver agreed and seconded the motion, and by unanimous vote it
was approved. Lee Saperstein suggested also that,when we advise Ken Beaugrand of this
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action,we tell him that the encroachment into the cemetery by the owners of 268 Polpis Road
has not been resolved and that the Commission would like the Polpis encroachment referred to
the Town's Encroachment Committee. He repeated this request as a motion that was seconded
by Scott McIver and approved unanimously.
At this point,the Commissioners took up plans to lay out more lots in Polpis. They began by
reviewing the observations made during the meeting held on October 7th at the Cemetery. The
ground going eastward between the existing lots and the abutter at 268 Polpis Road has portions
that are topographically suitable for lots, although we may wait before laying out lots in this
portion of the cemetery. Extension of existing rows C through G to the northern boundary would
give us 35 more lots and laying out rows A and B would provide 28 lots on each row. Frances
Karttunen remembered that we had considered that Row A would be against the western fence
and would not be desirable. The commissioners came to a solution whereby rows A and B
would be laid out, thereby saving on surveying costs,but that lots in Row A would not be offered
for sale. Essentially,there are two efforts to be undertaken: brush cutting and mowing at the
northern and eastern edges of the cemetery and laying out lots at the end of Rows C through G
along with new rows A and B. It was moved by Frances Karttunen and seconded by Scott
McIver that Allen Reinhard, on behalf of the Commission, file work orders with the DPW for
mowing and plot-layout work. There was unanimous approval of the motion. Allen Reinhard
said that he will go out with the DPW crew to point out the areas to be cleared and the trees that
need to be saved. Charlie Polachi said that he can urge the DPW to give these work orders high
priority. As for surveying, Allen Reinhard reminded the Commission that the original lay out of
lots was done by personnel of the Water Company as a donation. He will work with Ken_
Beaugrand to identify a surveyor. [Action Allen Reinhard t6 file work orders forxmowing and
plot fayout fle'will accompany the-DPW r'crew when work is underway?]
7. Supplies Needed for Additional Polpis Lots: Toe and Corner Markers.
Since there was a natural lead to this agenda item,the Commission continued to discuss items
needed for the layout of new lots,namely corner and toe markers. Charlie Polachi shared copies
of catalog sheets from Berntsen International (https://www.berntsen.com/Surveying/Survey-
Markers)for three different styles of markers. He will order one of each kind for us to examine
before ordering enough for the cemetery. Scott McIver noted that individually marked toe
markers may be a better idea than corner markers. Charlie Polachi said that he would research
the DPW records for the earlier purchase.
4. Approval of Lot Sales Since Last Meeting.
At this point, it was agreed to return to the agenda order of items. There have been no lot sales
since last month's meeting, reported Allen Reinhard.
5. Monument Restoration Project Report: Discussion Old North and Next Steps.
Allen Reinhard reported that the restoration work at Old North Cemetery has been completed.
Frances Karttunen said that she had walked around it and was unhappy that only those stones
that had been restored or repaired were treated with the Biologic D-2 solution,which left the
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cemetery witha patchwork look. Scott McIver remembered that the DPW had treated the
headstones in the Quaker and Historic Coloured Cemeteries and thought that we should discover
what a contractor would charge to treat all stones in a cemetery not just those included in a
restoration contract. He felt that we should ask the DPW if they would be able to use the
Biologic solution through a work order. Charlie Polachi said that he would investigate the
DPW's willingness to treat headstones.
Charlie Polachi shared information on projected costs to restore stones in the other Nantucket
cemeteries. He based the projections on the cost that Ludlow Memorial Co. charged for treating
a stone at Old North Cemetery multiplied by the number of stones identified in the earlier survey
done by Richard Grubb and Associates. Frances Karttunen asked Scott McIver if he would
accompany her to Old North to share his expert opinion of the work done there. He agreed. She
said that we should not spend any new money until we are assured that the work was done well.
All agreed that the Commission can be patient. Charlie Polachi will investigate the potential for
alternative statements of work to separate Biologic treatments from stone restoration or repair in
the next request for bids. Also,we could create two bid requests so as to separate the work into
restoration and treatment with the Biologic solution. Frances Karttunen repeated her wish that
Old North's monuments be uniform in color. Scott McIver asked if we should schedule another
field trip for the Commission and it was agreed to schedule one [Action Schedule fieldtrips to
cemeteries that"remain as candidates„f ro monument restorati ]
8. Cemetery Commission Capital and Operating Budgets for FY 2023.
Allen Reinhard told the Commission that it needs recurring budget lines for both capital and
operating expenditures. Charlie Polachi reported that the Cemetery budget line has $9000 in it;
if we wish to increase that amount,we will need Annual Town Meeting, ATM, approval for a
fund transfer from the lot-sales account to the operating account. Barbara White moved that we
increase the Cemetery account from $9000 to $12,000 with the added amount coming from,
either,the Town budget or by transfer from the lot sales account. Frances Karttunen seconded
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the motion and it passed_unanimously by roll-call vote. [Action
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With respect to monument restoration at the other cemeteries, Lee Saperstein suggested that we
project the funding needs for this work and apply to the Community Preservation Committee,
CPC, for an additional grant to do it. According to Charlie Polachi,we have funds remaining in
the existing CPC grant sufficient to fund the quotation from Ludlow Memorials for work at
Quaker Cemetery. Allen Reinhard asked if we should go ahead with the Quaker Cemetery. It
was suggested that we not enter into a contract until we review the work done at Old North
Cemetery (see suggestion for field trips in Item 5.). Barbara White then moved that we authorize
work on the monuments in the Quaker Cemetery subject to a review of work done previously at
Old North Cemetery. This was seconded by Scott McIver and approved unanimously by roll-
call vote.
9. Old,New, Other Business and Final Comments.
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Scott McIver asked for Commission approval of a proposed monument for Al Crosby and
Frances Karttunen; the request was seconded by Barbara White and the approval was granted
unanimously by roll-call vote.
Charlie Polachi reminded the Commissioners that they had asked about the surveying bill
associated with the Richard Grubb survey of work needed to restore the monuments. He shared
a page of quotations from 2021 minutes that explained the proposed expenditure on a
topographic survey of the five cemeteries proposed for monument restoration work. The
surveyors are working to produce a final version of their report and the Commission should see it
soon.
9.Adjournment.
Adjournment came at 4:30 pm by a motion to adjourn made by acclamation.
Next regular meeting: Wednesday,November 9,2022,at 3:00 pm, in the DPW conference
room at 188 Madaket Road. For those who wish to attend virtually,a Zoom link will also
be sent to Commissioners.
Respectfully submitted: ; Date:
Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary
Nantucket Cemetery Projects List.
• Cemetery monument condition survey (completed); awarding of four more contracts for
monument conservation.
• Split rail fence at Polpis Cemetery: installed in existing cemetery; needed in newly
acquired land.
• Survey to lay out additional lots at Polpis.
• Toe and lot corner markers for new Polpis lots when laid out.
• Consolidation of lots at Newtown Cemetery with recordable ground survey.
• Fencing at the Historic Coloured Cemetery: sections installed, needed against Vesper
Lane.
• Fencing and brush removal at New and Old North Cemeteries.
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