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Minutes 11-27-01 MINUTES OF THE CEMETERY BOARD MEETING HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM C, WEST WING, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2001 AT 7:00 P.M. Present Dave Nyquist, Chairman Janet Prainito, Secretary Teresa Frazier Tereesa Padgett Qris Walker John Tined, Alternate CALL TO ORDER John Wildner, Parks Director Glenda Hall, Parks Supervisor Diane Reese, Finance Chris Roberts, Public Works Mark Aniki, Parks Department Chairman Nyquist called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. ATTENDANCE All Board members were in attendance. III. AGENDA APPROVAL Ms. Prainito wished to discuss the Board's next meeting, which would fall on Christmas Day. Motion Mr. Walker moved to approve the agenda as amended. Mr. Tined seconded the motion that carried unanimously. IV. MINUTES APPROVAL Ms. Padgett wished to make a change to page 6, second paragraph, next-to-last line, where it should say: "...section east of the first driveway going into the cemetery be permitted." Motion Mr. Tineri moved to place the November 1 minutes on file as amended. Mr. Walker seconded the motion that carried unanimously. V. RECEIPT OF BALANCE SHEETS - OCTOBER 2001 Ms. Diane Reese, Finance Director, distributed documents that outlined how the balance ~sheets would be done in the future and explained them in detail. She explained that the Balance Sheets were being replaced with Revenue and Expense reports. Ms. Reese also explained Ms. Moroney's November 20, 2001 memorandum in which responses were given to two questions the Board had at the previous meeting. Ms. Moroney's Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 memorandum included a detailed account activity listing that was annotated by the Finance Department and distributed to the Board members. Mr. Nyquist asked Ms. Reese if she believed it was a good idea to keep a large amount of money in the State Pool. Ms. Reese stated that although the State Pool was going down at present, when the pendulum swings the other way, it would be better to be in the State Pool since it is figured on a daily average and the Fund would benefit immediately from any market upturn. In the case of the money market, the funds would be locked in for three to five years, regardless of any upswing in the market. Ms. Padgett asked Ms. Reese why the bank was charging to handle their account and Ms. Reese replied that this was part of the City's contract with the bank. MotiOn Mr. Walker mOved to place the Balance Sheets on file. Ms. Padgett seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VI. RECEIPT OF SALES REPORTS - OCTOBER 2001 Motion Ms. Padgett moved to place the October 2001 Sales Reports on file. Mr. Walker seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Sara Simms Memorial Gardens Enhancements & Improvements Report on price for design and installation of sign for Sara Simms Memorial Gardens along with permitting requirements (Tabled) The Board decided to leave this issue on the table until the following month when Mr. Wildner reported that the Engineering Department wanted accurate plat markers and had requested Richard Sheppard & Associates of Boynton Beach to perform a survey at a cost of $1,000. Reports on Cemetery Areas Assigned to Members (moved up on agenda by Chairman Nyquist) 1. Blocks W & Y on the South Side - Oris Walker Mr. Walker had not been there recently but the last time he went out he did not see anything to cause any complaints. Everything looked pretty good. Blocks N & O, the Area to the West, Old Section to the Flagpole -- David Nyquist Chairman Nyquist said that his section looked good overall and that the cemetery workers had been doing a good job. 2 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 3. Seacrest Blvd. to Building on the South Side - Tereesa Padgett Ms. Padgett thought her area looked pretty good. There were a few dry spots but that was probably unavoidable considering the recent drought. 4. Mausoleum and Sara Simms - John Tineri Mr. Tineri remarked that Sara Simms looked good but he asked how often it was watered. Mr. Wildner replied that it had been watered twice a week during the water restrictions and that they could increase that schedule now. Ms. Hall remarked that until the renovations were complete, the south side was not 100% irrigated. Mr. Tined commented that the mausoleum always looks good. 5. Blocks R & S - Teresa Frazier Ms. Frazier had not been to her area recently but the last time she went, it looked good. C. Parks Department Report Chair Nyquist discussed a line item in the Detail Expenditures Budget Year 2001/2002 Chart, #52-56, Gardening Supplies", saying that $3,600 a year had been estimated for the item. The October expenditure had actually been $907 and this was 1/3 of the total estimate and had been spent in the first month of the budget. Mr. Wildner remarked that they had purchased more sod than usual and had applied fertilizer. Similarly, Chair Nyquist called attention to #52- 75, Equipment, Pads & Supplies, saying that of the $1,500 estimated, $401 had been expended in October. This, too, was 1/3 of the estimated amount in one month. He believed that the account would run out of money quickly at this rate. Mr. Wildner explained that money would be taken from other accounts and transferred administratively to handle this, or an explanation for the need would be presented to the Cemetery Board along with a request for additional funding. Chair Nyquist remarked that in the overall budget there was $10,000 for overtime and $2,100 had been spent in October. Chair Nyquist noted that in a cemetery operations estimate he looked at from 1999, there was the same $10,000 estimate and he wondered if there had been any raises in that time? Mr. Wildner remarked that there had been raises but that he had been under considerable restraints to keep the costs for the cemetery down so his estimates were very conservative. In the past, the General Fund absorbed the difference between the Cemetery Fund's annual payment and the actual expenses. Now that the General Fund will not be absorbing any differences, the actual expenses will be apparent. Mr. Aniki remarked that there had been a lot of Sunday funerals and that is why the overtime had increased. Ms. Padgett was pleased that the Cemetery Board would begin to get the actual costs for the cemetery operation. Mr. Wildner stated his belief that the actual costs would be higher than the estimates. Ms. Padgett asked which of the figures were adopted by the City Commission and Mr. Wildner remarked that it had been the Manager's Recommended estimates. Ms. Padgett and Chair Nyquist requested an inventory of hardware and Mr. Wildner offered to provide it. Ms. Padgett understood that nothing would be charged to the Cemetery Board above the figures approved by the City Commission without the Board's prior approval. Mr, Wildner said Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 that overages would be handled by transferring from other accounts. Ms. Padgett believed that individual items needed to be brought before the Cemetery Board first and that after this first year, they would have a better idea of the actual expenses. Ms. Hall asked if something was taken to Public Works for repair and the cost was going to be higher than the estimated figure, if they would have to hold off on the repair until the next meeting of the Cemetery Board. Ms. Padgett suggested that they should telephone the City Clerk to arrange for a tele- conference with the Cemetery Board for approval of the expenditure. Ms. Padgett noted a line item for Barton Memorial and asked if the Cemetery Board had been paying all along for Barton? Mr. Wildner stated they had not because it had been paid out of the General Fund. The Cemetery Board paid for the month of October, but it was going to be straightened out due to the City Attorney's opinion that it should not be included. The Board discussed the possibility of Mr. Aniki and his crew mowing and edging at Sara Simms in addition to Boynton Memorial. It would necessitate the purchase of a trailer because Boynton Memorial does not have a trailer to transport the mower. If the Cemetery Board purchased a mower and had this crew do the work, it would save money. Mr. Tineri was concerned about whether Mark and his crew would be able to handle both cemeteries as he had observed that they were quite busy at Boynton Memorial. Mr. Wildner noted that services at Boynton Memorial would probably suffer if the crew had to leave it unattended two or three times a week. Ms. Padgett did not think they had sufficient information to make a decision. Chair Nyquist asked Mr. Wildner to research it and tell the Board what it would take to do it and what type of trailer they would need and get back to the Board in a month or two. Chair Nyquist noted that if the Cemetery Board purchased a trailer it would be limited to Cemetery use for transporting equipment back and forth between the two cemeteries. Mr. Aniki thought that the repair of equipment would cost more from a private company than it would through the City. Ms. Padgett referred to the Detailed Expenditures Report and commented that Mr. Wildner should check the math on the 2500-count BB item, as it appeared to be incorrect. Mr. Wildner noted that if there were an error, it would be corrected. Additional Space at Cemetery - Memo from Mark Aniki to John Wildner dated November 19, 2001 Mr. Wildner stated that the City Manager had asked the Parks Department to research this issue. Their research indicated that if they were to close off some non-essential roads at the cemetery, they believed they could gain an additional 563 adult plots and 38 baby plots. Since the ground was uncharted, the assistance of No Cuts, a surveyor, and the Water Department would be needed and their findings could cut down the total number of plots but it would probably still be near 500 additional plots. Ms. Padgett stated that there would not be sufficient parking for the cars in Boynton Memorial if any of the roads were blocked off. Mr. Aniki noted that the roads that were suggested for closing were not roads that people used routinely. Ms. Padgett was particularly concerned about closing the roads since she believed it would place a hardship on the older people who wanted to visit their loved ones' graves and who would have to walk to them. The people had purchased the plots with the knowledge that they could access them easily and closing the roads would be unjust. 4 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 The Board asked Mr. Aniki how many cars were at a normal funeral and the reply was between 15 to 25 cars, with cars staying only a few minutes after a funeral. Chair Nyquist was concerned that there would be traffic jams if funerals were close together. Parks Department Memorandum #01-130, Barton Cemetery Mr. Wildner stated that since the City Attorney decided that Barton Memorial should not be included in the Cemetery Department's responsibility, the Parks Department intended to pursue a grant to build a bikeway on Barton Memorial Park & Cemetery, extending it to the south through a scrub area, and connecting to an expansion of the Palmetto Greens linear park to improve the City's Greenways. Mr. Wildner offered to make application for an historical site grant for Sara Simms, if the Board so desired. Code Amendment to Chapter 6, Section 6-18.b.2 of the City Code of Ordinances (Tabled 11/1) Motion Ms. Padgett moved to remove this item from the table. Mr. Tined seconded the motion that carried unanimously. This amendment reflects the change to Rule #15 of the Cemetery Rules & Regulations amended September 3, 1998 that provides for a 50% refund for crypts and niches at the Boynton Beach Mausoleum. Ms. Prainito indicated that her inquiries led to the conclusion that the Code was incorrect. The minutes reflected that the Board changed the percentage from 80% to 50% but the Code never got changed. Motion Ms. Padgett moved to correct the Code error to change the refund from 80% to 50%. Mr. Tined seconded the motion that carried unanimoUsly. Ms. Prainito will prepare a memo for the City Commission meeting agenda on December 18 so the Ordinance can be changed. E. Computer for Cemetery Staff (Tabled 11/1) Ms. Padgett asked if there had been a bid for it. Mr. Wildner stated that the cost had come from the ITS Department and that this was their cost for a standard-issue computer that was compatible with the network. ITS does bid for computers. Mr. Aniki said he told ITS that he needed e-mail capability and asked for the computer, the modem, and the software, including repair service. Mr. Aniki had been using his own computer and it was very outdated. Chairman Nyquist noted that the City Commission had already approved this. Mr. Wildner stated it was included because it was a capital item and it was in the budget. Mr. Wildner noted that the computer had been a request in his budget for March and it was to have come out of the General Fund. It was listed for the Cemetery and was transferred from his budget to the Cemetery Budget. It was his recommendation that Mark Aniki get a computer. Mr. Wildner noted that Mr. Aniki had purchased a computer with his own funds and had done a lot of work 5 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 with the City Clerk's office to transfer records into their computer, thereby demonstrating the computer's usefulness, Mr. Aniki's work had been very helpful to all concerned. Motion Ms. Padgett moved to remove this item from the Table. Mr. Tined seconded the motion that carried unanimously. The Board approved the purchase unanimously. VIII. NEW BUSINESS Approve Request by Biagio G. Catalano & Millicent C. Catalano to Remove the Cremains of Michael J. Catalano and Sell Niche C-6, Section O, Chapel Building to the City for $1,400 (which is 50% less than the purchase price of $2,800) Ms. Padgett inquired if all the paperwork had been done and Ms. Prainito assured her that it had. Motion Ms. Padgett moved to approve this request. Mr. Walker seconded the motion that carried unanimously. Discuss Potential Increase of Cost of Graves and Limiting the Sale of Graves to City of Boynton Beach Residents Only Chair Nyquist referred to an earlier request he had made for a list of the costs of the cemetery services such as the equipment rental costs, the resident versus non-resident plots, and all associated costs. He wanted everyone to be able to see them and discuss it to see if they thought any of the prices needed to be raised. Ms. Prainito will provide this to the Board members prior to the next meeting. Ms. Padgett stated that, without those figures, this item would have to be tabled. As to the sale of graves, she believed it would be best to wait until after the meeting with the City Commission so they could get the Commission's views on expansion. Mr. Walker felt that the cost of the lots was not enough to meet the cost of running the cemetery. Motion Mr. Tineri moved to table this item until the following meeting. motion that carried unanimously. Ms. Padgett seconded the IX. OTHER Joint Meeting of City Commission and Cemetery Board - Approximately 4:30 p.m., Library Program Room. Ms. Prainito explained that the start time of this meeting would depend on the length of the Agenda Preview Meeting but everyone should be there at 4:30 p.m. Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 27, 2001 For Information - Copy of Brady Osborne's Letter of Transmittal of Check in the Amount of $4,972.50 which covers 15% of the Mausoleum cash receipts for the third quarter of 2001. C. For Information and Review - Detailed Cemetery Budget D. December Meeting Arrangements The regular meeting falls on Christmas Day. The Board agreed to cancel December's meeting and meet in January on the regular day and time. Ms. Prainito advised that the January meeting would probably be at the Senior Center since Conference Room C would be undergoing construction. She will let the board members know exactly where the meeting will be. Chair Nyquist asked if Mr. Aniki could attend the next meeting. Mr. Wildner stated that this would be all right if Public Works were willing to pay his overtime. Ms. Hall noted that Mr. Aniki gets paid for a m~nimum of two hours. Mr. Wildner announced that Mr. Bressner had reorganized some City departments and that the Public Works Department will assume some of the Parks maintenance functions. He commented that this was why Chris Roberts was present at this meeting. The exact details on the distribution of responsibilities were still being worked out. Mr. Wildner expressed his continuing interest in the Cemetery and stated that even if his role were smaller, he would still be available as a resource. X. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (two tapes) (12/03/01 ) 7