approved

Cemetery Trustee Meeting Minutes

March 26, 2008

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

Excused: M. Provost

The Minutes of the Feb. 27, 2008 meeting, were approved as written.

Mike Provost sent an email to Ed on March 19^th detailing his comments regarding the conflict of interest/ethical issue he brought up at the Feb. 27^th meeting. It was agreed by the Trustees that his point of view should be included in these minutes. Mike’s reason for bringing the issue up was “the fact that we are requesting funds from the community in the aspect of a capital improvements program and seeking volunteer help to make repairs to an underfunded (not enough perpetual care funds) town owned cemetery where many of our original downtown residents, Revolutionary, War of 1812, Mexican Civil War veterans are laid to rest. Over the past year the trustees have voted to increase costs of lots sold to help with perpetual care and maintenance costs. I stated that in light of this it is a conflict of interest/ethical conflict for a trustee to advocate the maintenance of a non town owned private graveyard, especially with the knowledge that there is a fund established for its care, without putting that fact out publicly and making it a part of the process or at least insisting that the property be deeded to the Town of Newmarket. I find it especially exasperating as we volunteer to work on maintaining what we already own, and that the trustee was quoted in the newspaper as stating that it is his intention to continue advocating the maintenance of other private graveyards in the town.” Mike also stated “that the trustee should be congratulated on the hard work he has done in the repairs to the Cheswell Cemetery and the acquisition of the state historic marker.”

Ed did not talk with Rick Malasky about removing the chain link fence from within the cemetery, or Scott Foster to see if he would reinstall the fence on the outside of the cemetery. This will be done shortly.

Ed will talk with Rick Malasky to see if the town crew can restack the stone wall around the cemetery. If they cannot do it the trustees will select the least expensive bid to accomplish this work. Funds for this work are included in the current budget.

Mike suggested that once the wall is complete that the flat rock supplied by the town should be set at the cemetery and that it then be sandblasted with the cemetery name.

Ed read a letter from Janice Rosa of the Newmarket Veterans Memorial Trust. She stated that they had no objections about James Rosa installing a flag pole at Riverside Cemetery. We will wait to hear from James regarding this project.

Ed reported that the town had not yet funded the $15,000 Capital Reserve appropriation for stone repair. Once the Trustees of Trust Funds receive the monies the Cemetery Trustees will go before the Town Council requesting a Resolution to expend funds so that the stone repair and cleaning can begin.

Rich read a communication from the State regarding upcoming educational meetings for Cemetery Trustees.

The next meeting is scheduled for April 23, 2008.

Meeting adjourned at 8:29 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Ed Pelczar