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Minutes 12-13-12 MINUTES OF THE CEMETERY BOARD MEETING HELD O THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012, IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 100 E. BOYNTON BEACH BLVD, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT. Harry "Dale" Hatch, Chair Tom Balfe, Parks Manager Janet Prainito, Secretary William Bone Bonnie Glinski SENT: Karilyn Norem Hohner, Vice Chair 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Hatch called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. 2. ATTENDANCE Secretary Prainito called the roll. A quorum was present. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL Ms. Glinski noted a correction to Item 8C which was the original purchase price was $825 not $8.25. Additionally, a discussion regarding the fountain area was added to Old Business as Item C, and burial vaults to New Business as Item E. Motion Ms. Glinski moved to approve the agenda as amended. Ms. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — September 13, 2012 One correction was noted on Page 3, Item C. The update regarding the gate at the pit area was tabled to March 8th, not March 3rd. Motion Ms. Glinski moved to approve the minutes as amended. Mr. Bone seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 1 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, FL December 13, 2012 5. RECEIPT OF REVENUE /EXPENSE SHEETS — September, October & November 2012 Motion Ms. Glinski moved to enter the report into the record. Ms. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 6. RECEIPT OF SALES REPORTS — September, October & November 2012 Motion Ms. Glinski moved to accept. It was pointed out the Availability Reports that were missing from the last meeting were added. Mr. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Parks Division Reports — September, October & November 2012 Tom Balfe, Parks Manager, announced there were twelve Mausoleum entombments, four Mausoleum inurnments, 17 full -body burials, zero ground cremains, one disentombment/disinterment and no disinurnments for the months of June, July and August. For the months of September, October and November, there were nine Mausoleum entombments, one Mausoleum inurnment, 17 full -body burials, five ground cremains, one disentombment/disinterment and two disinurnments. B. Report on gate at the pit area Mr. Balfe explained staff installed the gate at the pit area after priming and painting the metal posts. The gate had the same design as the rest of the fence. Staff did not brace the gate because it was stable. After a contractor readjusted the one gate, it was now level and working properly. Ms. Glinski and Mr. Bone commented it looked very nice. C. Discussion of fountain area Mr. Bone suggested removing the No Swimming sign from the fountain. Mr. Balfe agreed to do so and explained staff started filling the fountain with dirt in preparation for planting the Blue Daze plants the Board had previously approved. He commented staff was having difficulty obtaining the plants and he was hopeful Boynton Botanical would receive them within the next few weeks. Once received, they would be installed, and the irrigation was functioning. The discussion held at the last meeting had been to remove the pedestal, use 2 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, FL December 13, 2012 the base of the fountain as a planter, remove the rocks around the base, and plant flowers. The rocks around the base remained to be removed and after brief discussion, Mr. Balfe was authorized to use a green ground cover in place of the rocks as the ground cover would look nice, last, and it was low to the ground. 8. NEW BUSINESS The members discussed it would be appropriate to approve the two ratifications together. A. Ratify the request of Frances Matonte for a refund of Niche D23, Serenity Building, Section A, Boynton Beach Mausoleum. Original purchase price was $5,850 less 20% ($1,170) for a total refund of $4,680. (All paperwork is in order.) Telephone poll was conducted. B. Ratify the request of Michael S. Richman and Muriel Forlini for a refund of Lot A, Block Y, Boynton Beach Memorial Park. Original purchase price was $750 less 20% ($150) for a total refund of $600. (All paperwork is in order.) Telephone poll was conducted. Motion Ms. Glinski moved to ratify New Business Items A and B. Ms. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. C. Approve the request of Carl Perone for a refund of Niche E -1, Sunrise Building, Section H, Boynton Beach Mausoleum. Original purchase price was 5 825 less 50% ($412.50) for a total refund of $412.50. (All paperwork is in order.) Motion Ms. Glinski moved to approve. Ms. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. D. Discussion and Possible Elimination of portions of Rule #1 M of the Cemetery Rules & Regulations Ms. Prainito explained she recently received a copy of the Mausoleum Agreement because a situation arose where staff needed to charge the 15% transfer fee. Mr. Osborne sold a crypt and he sent the paperwork to the City to transfer ownership. When staff figured out how much was owed, staff notified Mr. Osborne of the amount. Through Mr. Osborne and the City's attorneys, staff learned that due to the settlement agreement, staff could not charge any fees on Mr. Osborne's sales that would go into the Perpetual Care Fund. This applied to anything that he had sold or would sell prospectively. The Rule was established 3 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, FL December 13, 2012 for the purpose of recovering revenue on the crypts and niches after they were purchased by Mr. Osborne and before staff learned they could not charge it. Years ago the fee was $62.50. The current 15% transfer fee used a convoluted equation and staff felt the transfer amount should be $75 for all. The City has since established a separate dedicated account for Opening and Closing fees; therefore, they would no longer be deposited into the Perpetual Care Account. At the time the City put this Rule into effect, staff thought they had a legal opinion. Since the City could not charge the fee to Mr. Osborne, this portion of the Rule needed to be eliminated and staff needed something in writing detailing what the transfer fee was and that staff believed it should be $75 for everyone. The members were amenable to Ms. Prainito developing the wording and then polling the members via phone for approval. The first paragraph would have the new wording. Motion Ms. Glinski moved that Ms. Prainito come up with wording to change Rule 1 -M to include a transfer fee of $75 and she will contact the members by phone to take a poll to approve the wording, and strike the lines of the last paragraph and leave the underlined lines in the last paragraph. Mr. Bones seconded the motion. It was noted the wording would be run past the Legal Department prior to going before City Commission. The motion unanimously passed. E. Discussion of burial vaults Mr. Balfe explained there has been a problem with burial vault companies for a while regarding delivering the vaults to the Cemetery in a timely manner. There have been instances where the vault did not arrive until two hours before a service. Mr. Balfe proposed to institute the same practice with the burial vaults as they have with the urn vaults for cremains. The current practice was to purchase the urn vaults and resell them at a profit. He wanted to stock 10 burial vaults at a time and resell them at a small profit. Additionally, by purchasing 10 vaults at a time, they would receive a better price. Earlier in the day, a new vault company delivered a vault for a Saturday service to the wrong Cemetery and it was now scheduled to arrive tomorrow at the end of the day. There are five different vault companies, with the newest only being in business a few months. Staff also learned that each vault company should be providing the City with a Certificate of Insurance, which would lessen the liability. By having a small stock of burial vaults, staff would not have to wait on a vault company to complete the work orders. When three burial vaults remained, staff would order 10 more. Burial vaults could be purchased for $145 each. Mr. Balfe proposed to sell them for $275. Quotes were needed because the initial purchase would be over $1,000 and Mr. Balfe sought the Board's approval of the concept. The members could then be polled via phone 4 Meeting Minutes Cemetery Board Boynton Beach, FL December 13, 2012 to determine the profit margin and those monies would then be deposited into the Perpetual Care Fund. There were several vaults already at the Cemetery; however, Mr. Balfe explained they were double depth vaults. The vaults under discussion were single vaults. The vaults would be stored inside the fenced area of the Cemetery. Funeral directors sell the vaults, and still could at a markup. With urn vaults, funeral directors call the Cemetery, purchase an urn vault and mark -up the price. This practice was not uncommon and it was Mr. Balfe's understanding that the funeral homes charge from $800 to $895. In this manner, funeral homes would still make a profit. Mr. Balfe clarified the only vaults being stocked were liners. He explained about the different types of liners and noted if one purchased a double depth plot, the price included the plot and the vault. Motion Ms. Glinski moved that Mr. Balfe go out for quotes and then notify the Board on the pricing and markup. If the pricing was what was provided to the Board, Mr. Balfe could just move forward. Ms. Prainito seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 9. OTHER Ms. Glinski inquired about the clover at the Cemetery. Mr. Balfe explained one major issue was the Cemetery sits on top of a well field and there are very few chemicals staff could use. This was due not only because of the type of permit they have, but also because of the Materials Safety Data Sheet and recommended rate of the chemical to eliminate it Atrozine would be the appropriate treatment, but staff was strictly prohibited from using it over the well field. He spoke with a chemical representative who sent an all organic chemical. It does not control all weeds, but it does control some of them. The current weeds, within a few months would stop blooming and would be barely visible. Christine Roberts, Assistant Director of Public Works, commented the first frost would help kill the clover, as it was very invasive. 10. ADJOURNMENT Motion There being no further business to discuss, Ms. Prainito moved to adjourn. Ms. Glinski seconded the motion that unanimously passed. The meeting was adjourned at 4:03 p.m. 0- d'� Catherine Cherry Recording Secretary 121712 5