HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/17/2001 - Regular Minutes - Cemetery Advisory Committee
City of College Station
Cemetery Committee
Thursday, May 17, 2001
Parks Conference Room
10:00 a.m.
Staff Present:
Ross Albrecht, Forestry Superintendent; Delmer Charanza, Cemetery
Sexton; Ann Marie Hazlett, Committee Secretary.
Members Present:
Katherine Edwards, Chairman; Ed Burns; Mary Lind Bryan;
Sarah Adams; Mary Bingamon, Alternate.
Members Absent:
David Chester; Joe Wallace; Greg Anderson, Alternate.
1.Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:04 a.m.
2. Hear Visitors:
There were no visitors present at the meeting.
3. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of April minutes:
Ed
Burns made a motion to approve the minutes from April 26, 2001. Sarah
Adams seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed
unanimously.
4. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of absentee requests:
Sarah Adams made a motion to approve the absences of Joe Wallace and
David Chester. Mary Lind seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the
motion passed unanimously.
5. Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding a variance
request from Ms. Charlotte Dansizer who would like to place an angel on
a gravesite:
Ms. Dansizer placed a 37 inch angel on the grave of a relative.
Delmer had removed it because it was too tall. The Committee discussed
possible ways that the statue could remain on the gravesite. However, no
solution could be reached, because the statue would still be over the height
restriction. Since there was no formal request in writing from Ms. Dansizer,
Ed Burns moved that the Committee table the discussion until a later date.
Sarah seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed
unanimously.
6.Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding the sales price of
adult, baby, and cremate spaces:
At the last meeting, Charles Cryan,
Director of Fiscal Services for College Station, suggested raising the price of
adult spaces from $400 to $600, and baby spaces from $100 to $200. This
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Cemetery Committee Meeting
Thursday, May 17, 2001
increase would help the Cemetery move towards the City's goal of 80% to
100% cost recovery. Katherine suggested that the Committee consider raising
the adult spaces from $400 to $500, baby spaces from $100 to $250, and
cremate spaces from $100 to $200. She went on the say that she felt that a
$400 to $600 jump was too big, and that the fees will be revisited every 2
years, and will more than likely be raised again. Mary Lind Bryan made a
motion to propose to Council the pricing suggestion from Katherine; adult
spaces from $400 to $500, baby spaces from $100 to $250 and cremate spaces
from $100 to $200. Sarah seconded the motion. All were in favor and the
motion passed unanimously.
Ed Burns stated that he has spoken to some people in the Community and they
were astonished that the City would even consider putting the Cemetery in the
full cost recovery range. He feels that since this is an advisory Committee to
City Council that they should let Council know that they do not agree with
being placed in the full cost recovery category. Sarah stated that the City
Cemetery's spaces, even if sold at $600 per space, are still much less in cost
than any privately run Cemetery. Mary Lind agreed with both Sarah and Ed.
However, she believes that the motivation behind the increase should be to
improve services and not 80% cost recovery.
Mary Lind suggested that each Committee person write some thoughts down
about being placed in the full cost recovery category in order that some kind of
letter or statement of position from the Committee to Council could be
composed. Katherine added that she would not mind taking a written
statement from the Committee and reading it to Council. Sarah said she would
like for someone from Council to come to the next Cemetery Committee
meeting, to have some dialogue with them about this subject. However, the
Committee decided that each person should write down their thoughts, and
then they will formulate a Committee statement.
Ross suggested that the Committee hold on the price increase recommendation
that was already voted for. He suggested that they wait until they meet with
Council about the Cemetery being placed under 80% to 100% cost recovery.
That way they will not change prices now, and then have to change prices 6
months from now. Katherine proposed that the Committee present their price
increase suggestions to the Council at the same time that the Committee
presents their philosophic statement about the Cemetery being place under the
City's full cost recovery plan. Ed Burns moved to make an amendment to the
above motion to state that the Committee withhold the recommendation on
price increases to the Council for a later date. Sarah seconded the motion. All
were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.
7. Presentation of information, discussion, and possible action on addressing
indigent needs and the sale of spaces:
Ross reported that Delmer spoke with
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Cemetery Committee Meeting
Thursday, May 17, 2001
Bob Holmes, Cemetery Sexton of the City of Bryan. He said that they do not
have any spaces set aside for indigent people, but they do work with the
funeral homes. The funeral home makes a case for the family and the City
will usually sell the space for half price. Delmer stated the City of College
Station has never been approached. He also stated that Mr. Holmes said that
he gets a request so seldom that he does not feel that it is really an issue.
8. Discussion of next meeting date and agenda:
The next meeting will be held
on Thursday, June 14, 2001, at the Central Park Conference Room at 10:00 a.m.
9. Adjourn:
The meeting adjourned at 11:08 a.m.
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Cemetery Committee Meeting
Thursday, May 17, 2001