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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/12/2006 - Regular Minutes - Cemetery Advisory Committee City of College Station Cemetery Committee Regular Meeting Thursday, January 12, 2006 Central Park Office 10:00 a.m. Staff Present: Ross Albrecht, Forestry Superintendent; Delmer Charanza, Cemetery Sexton; Amanda Putz, Parks Secretary Members Present: Sarah Adams, Chairperson; Joe Wallace; James Batenhorst; Virginia Reese, Mary Lind Bryan, David Chester, Kevin Myers Members Absent: All members present Visitors Present: William F. Hyer, Jr. 1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 10:06 a.m. The new member, Kevin Myers, and the new Committee secretary, Amanda Putz, were introduced. 2. Consideration, possible approval, and discussion of member’s requests for absence: No requests for absence had been submitted. 3. Hear Visitors: Hearing none this item was closed. 4. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding variance request ~ William F. Hyer, Jr.: Mr. Hyer was present to request a variance for a monument for three spaces he had purchased in the cemetery. The request concerned the width of the monument. He wants to install a triple monument that would add an additional five feet, for a total of eleven feet in width. Triple monument height and width specifications are not addressed in the current ordinance. The middle part of the monument would be 30 inches high, with two six-inch high granite runners extending out from the middle section. The current ordinance states that the maximum width for a double family monument is 72”. Ross stated that his request would not pose any maintenance issues. Discussion followed. Ross showed two examples of similar cases currently in the Cemetery (see attached handout) that do not meet the size restrictions however they were grand-fathered. Sarah A. stated that the committee has turned down variance requests in the past and she wanted to make sure that the committee was being fair and did not approve something that had previously been rejected. Ross Albrecht stated that the committee needed to be fair to the families that have abided by the size requirements. James Batenhorst made a motion to approve Mr. Hyer’s variance request as presented. Joe Wallace seconded. Discussion followed regarding the width of the middle section of the monument. James B. amended his motion to approve the variance request with the provision that the middle portion of the monument be no longer than 48 inches wide. Mary Lind Bryan seconded. Discussion followed on past variance requests and Rules & Regulations. Sarah Adams called for the vote as amended. All members were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hyer thanked the committee for approving his request. 5. Review and discussion of the Aggie Field of Honor project, as presented to the City Council on September 8, 2005 ~ Presentation attached): Joe Wallace stated that he would like for the Cemetery Committee to know what the Aggie Field of Honor was all about. The Committee reviewed all of the different items that were in the report that was presented to the City Council in September. The location for the new cemetery will either be on FM 60 across from the Easterwood Airport or a site in Wellborn, which would not include an Aggie Field of Honor. Discussion followed regarding the location of the cemetery and how it would be up to the Council to make the final decision as to where it would be located. Joe W. stated that the th September 8 meeting ended with a request to Council to locate the cemetery on FM 60. Council said they would consider it. This was an informational item only and no action was required. 6. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on the City of College Station’s Naming of Public Facilities Guidelines as related to the potential new municipal cemetery site. Sarah A. introduced the conversation of discussing the Guidelines for the Naming of Public Facilities (attached). Ross A. stated that the guidelines would be of assistance when the time comes to consider names for the new city cemetery. Mary L. Bryan stated that Kathryn Edwards, a previous member of the committee, had made a recommendation for a possible name at a past meeting. Ross A. said that she had made a recommendation but no action had been taken. He added that naming the cemetery had been more of a way to identify the cemetery so that they could market the idea a few years back. The committee discussed leaving the naming until later when the location of the cemetery was known. Sarah A. suggested that everyone read over the Guidelines for the Naming of Public Facilities on their own time before the next meeting. This was an information item only and no action was required. 7. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on Cemetery Committee Goals for FY 2005-06 ~ (See attached): Sarah A. opened the discussion regarding Goals for the Cemetery Committee. There had not been too much accomplished as far as discussion of the cemetery goals in past meetings. Document attached: “College Station Cemetery Committee Report, June 2004” Sarah A. asked that others make suggestions for Cemetery Goals, and if anything needed to be said about future meetings discussing the goals. The Goals would be discussed at the next cemetery meeting. 8. Presentation and discussion on Open Meetings Act ~ (Information attached): Ross A. stated that there had been discussion regarding the Open Meetings Act at the last meeting. He informed all of the committee members that they needed to attend an upcoming presentation and training session on January 17, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. All of the members would have to be trained and certified. Sarah Adams stated that she would not be able to attend the meeting. 9. Discussion and consideration of next meeting date and possible agenda items: The next meeting was scheduled for February 9, 2006 in the College Station Parks Conference Room. 10. Adjourn: The meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.