HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/08/2004 - Regular Minutes - Cemetery Advisory Committee
City of College Station
Cemetery Committee
Thursday, April 8, 2004
Central Park Office
10:00 a.m.
Staff Present:
Ross Albrecht, Forestry Superintendent; Ann Marie Hazlett, Parks
Secretary.
Members Present:
Katherine Edwards, Chairman; Mary Lind Bryan; David Chester;
Joe Wallace; Don Hensel; Ed Burns.
Members Absent:
Sarah Adams; Virginia Reese
1.Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m.
2.Hear Visitors:
Hearing none, this item was closed.
3.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of absentee requests:
David C.
moved to accept the absentee request of Virginia Reese. Joe W. seconded the motion.
All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.
4.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of minutes from the regular
meeting on March 4, 2004:
Joe W. made a motion to approve the minutes from
March 4, 2004. Don H. seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion
passed unanimously.
5.Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding operational issues for
the new cemetery:
Joe W. asked if there was something in the current regulations
that has caused problems and might need to be changed. Ross answered that the
current operating policies and procedures are working well. However, with the
opening of a new cemetery, it is a good opportunity to evaluate those policies and
determine if there needs to be any changes. The two areas that stand out in his mind
would be plantings on spaces, which are strongly recommended against due to the
increased maintenance requirements, as well as monument size.
Katherine stated that she likes the look of the old cemeteries with all different size
monuments. Ross said the depth of the stone (measurement from front to back) is a
maintenance concern. Having monuments that are of different depth poses severe
mowing difficulties. In addition, the monument cannot be bigger than the space it is
to occupy. However, the height of the monument does not hold any maintenance
concerns. Katherine explained that her view of the cemetery committee spending
time and effort learning about various religious burial practices is that the new
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municipal cemetery could be more adaptive to those religions and therefore less
restrictive.
Another issue of concern deals with plantings and other decorations. Mary B. stated
that the cemetery serves a purpose for the living members of a family, and she
believes that people should be able to express their personalities through their
decorations. Katherine stated that was true, however, the committee might want to
put some kind of limitations on those expressions.
In the current regulations, plantings are not allowed on spaces. The plantings that
were already on spaces prior to the implementation of this regulation have been
grandfathered. At present, people may make donations and staff will plant trees and
other plantings in honor of the deceased. However, potted plants can be placed on the
spaces, and the current regulations do not dictate how many can be on one space. If
the new cemetery is to allow potted plants, Ross would like to see a maximum placed
on the number of plants that are to be allowed.
David C. asked if the committee should consider mausoleums in the new regulations.
Currently, mausoleums are allowed in only a few sections of the existing cemetery
and the design must be approved by the cemetery committee. Ross said that this
might want to be handled through the design of the master plan.
Following is a suggested list of items that the committee would like to discuss in the
future regarding the new cemetery:
?Cemetery name
?Curb & gutters
?Columbarium
?Sidewalks or pavers
?Multiuse building or pavilion
?Adult, infant, and cremate spaces
This was a discussion item only and no motion was made.
6.Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding the issue of ordinance
enforcement in the existing cemetery:
This item will be postponed until next
meeting.
7.Update, discussion, and possible action regarding the rear entrance
improvements to the existing cemetery:
Ross reported that the road widening has
been completed. Green Tree Landscaping has now begun to do the landscaping
improvements. This was an informational item only and no motion was made.
8.Update and discussion regarding site selection process of new cemetery:
Ross
handed out a copy of a letter from Tom Brymer, City Manager, to Chuck Sippial,
Vice President for Administration at Texas A&M University (see attached). Joe W.
reported that an email to the Aggie Field of Honor Ad Hoc Committee from Jimmy
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Thursday, April 8, 2004
Bond states: “I have been made aware that the Office of General Council of the A&M
system has been asked by the Regents to examine the ways and means to legally
achieve the arrangement with the City for the Field of Honor.” He went on to say that
the issue of the Field of Honor and the conveying of land for that purpose, will be an
agenda item at the Regents July meeting.
This was a discussion item only and no motion was made.
9.Discussion of next meeting date and agenda:
The committee will meet on
Thursday, May 6, 2004, at the Central Park Conference Room at 10:00 a.m. if there
are important issues that need committee attention. Otherwise, the committee will
th
meet on June 10.
10.Adjourn:
The meeting adjourned at 11:06 a.m.
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Thursday, April 8, 2004