Approved

Cemetery Trustee Meeting Minutes

Feb. 27, 2008

Attending: E. Pelczar, R. Alperin, M. Provost, L.F. Getchell

Excused: M. Pelczar

The Minutes of the Jan. 23, 2008 meeting, were approved as written.

James Rosa and his father came to the meeting. James is interested in doing a scouting project for a merit badge. His thought is to erect a flag pole on the point where the Memorial Day services are held. Since the Veterans Memorial Trust Committee is looking to possibly put a memorial in the same location the Trustees felt that the flag pole and memorial should complement each other. Since the memorial won’t be done this year and James needs to get the project done soon the Trustees felt we should wait on the flag pole. A discussion of other projects that James might be able to do in the Old Town Graveyard was held. It was decided that he should talk with the Veterans Memorial Trust Committee to see if he could do something with them.

Ed Pelczar reported that we were still waiting for more bids on the restacking of the stone wall at the Old Town Cemetery. We would like to get this accomplished as soon as possible.

The Town has not yet funded the Cemetery Capital Reserve account. These funds will be used to repair monuments in the Old Graveyard.

Mike Provost reported on the chain link fence located within the Old Graveyard. AAA Fence Co. will remove the fence for $1,000. Public Works could cut the metal posts below ground level at no charge, and roll up the fence. A motion by R. Alperin and seconded by L.F. Getchell was made to give the fence to Scott Foster on the condition that he reinstall it outside of the cemetery on his land and attach it to the housing authority fence. If S. Foster does not do this then the Town will keep the fence. Unanimously approved.

Mike also reported that Public Works could dig or cut the saplings along the stone wall. We can also get some loam to fill in the sunken areas within the cemetery. We would need to arrange manpower to spread the loam. A volunteer work day looks in order. The cast iron posts in the cemetery, and the door to the tomb, should be painted this year. Mike may be able to get us a volunteer group to work within the Graveyard. We would only need to feed them.

Mike Provost brought up the issue of Rich Alperin’s efforts to request that the town resume mowing and raking the Cheswell Graveyard was a conflict of interest with his duties as a Cemetery Trustee, since the Town is the owner of the Old Town Graveyard which has been neglected for years and which the Trustees are looking for volunteers to accomplish work in this Graveyard. Rich suggested that if the rest of the Trustees felt the same way, as Mike, he would resign from the Cemetery Trustees. There was no other discussion and no vote was taken. The next meeting was then scheduled.

Our next meeting will be on March 26, 2008 at the Town Hall.

Meeting adjourned at 8:27 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Ed Pelczar