HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/24/2003 - Regular Minutes - Cemetery Advisory Committee
City of College Station
Cemetery Committee
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Central Park Conference Room
10:00 a.m.
Staff Present:
Ross Albrecht, Forestry Superintendent; Delmer Charanza, Cemetery
Sexton; Ann Marie Hazlett, Parks Secretary; Vonn Casares, Assistant
City Secretary.
Members Present:
Katherine Edwards, Chairman; Sarah Adams; Mary Lind Bryan;
Don Hensel; Virginia Reese; Ed Burns; David Chester; Joe
Wallace.
Members Absent:
None
1.Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m.
2.Hear Visitors:
There were no visitors present. Katherine E. stated that she has been
unsuccessful in contacting Dr. Richard Stadelman in order to get a reference from
him on an individual to contact regarding various religious burial practices. She will
however, keep trying.
3.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of absentee requests:
There were
no absentee requests.
4.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of June minutes:
Sarah A. made
a motion to approve the minutes from June 12, 2003. Ed B. seconded the motion.
All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
5.Swearing in of new and re-appointed committee members:
Katherine began by
informing the committee that Neal Nutall did not reapply to serve on the Cemetery
Committee.
Vonn Casares swore in new members, Don Hensel and Virginia Reese, and re-
appointed members, Katherine Edwards and Sarah Adams, to the cemetery
committee.
6.Update and discussion regarding the site selection process for a new cemetery:
Ross A. informed that there is still no update, however, he explained to the new
members what was happening in trying to obtain a new cemetery site. Ross A. stated
that the city was looking at a piece of property on Wellborn Road, south of Wellborn.
An appraisal has been completed on that property, and a letter has been sent offering
a price range on either a 35-acre tract or a 50-acre tract. So far, there has been no
response. This was an update only, and no motion was made.
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7.Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding sub-committee’s report
on a list of potential names for the new municipal cemetery site:
Neal Nutall was
on this sub-committee, however, he no longer is part of the cemetery committee.
Therefore, Joe Wallace will serve on the naming sub-committee in his place.
Ed B. brought a list of names that he thought of, and read them to the committee.
Sarah explained that the sub-committee wanted to stay away from cemetery names
that convey any particular religious connotation. She also commented that the
committee might want to consider honoring a person of College Station history by
naming the new cemetery after them.
A question was asked if the proposed new cemetery name has to be approved by City
Council or not. Ross A. replied that he would have to check to see if the name has to
go to Council or to Parks Board. The sub-committee will bring a list of five names
back to the Cemetery Committee for a vote. This was a discussion item only, and no
motion was made.
8.Presentation, discussion and possible action about chairperson’s report to City
Council regarding the cemetery’s budget category:
Katherine E. told the
committee that her presentation to Council will be at 3:00 PM on July 24, 2003. Her
presentation to City Council will consist of asking what kind of criteria was used in
placing the cemetery into the 80 – 100% cost recovery budget category. She would
like to ask council to reconsider this placement, and possibly put the cemetery in a
different category. David C. added that cemeteries are parks, and possibly asking
Council to look at it in those terms.
Katherine also reported that a question surfaced regarding how many people from
Bryan were buried in the College Station Cemetery. It was answered that
approximately 25% of burials are people from Bryan. When these Bryan residents
were asked why they want to be buried or have a family member buried in College
Station even though prices are lower in Bryan, most people reply because College
Station’s cemetery is so beautiful.
9.Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding the sales price of
standard, cremate, and infant spaces:
David C. moved that the prices of all spaces
remain the same ($600 for standard spaces, $250 for cremate spaces, and $100 for
infant spaces). Sarah A. seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion
passed unanimously.
10.Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding state statutes addressing
cemetery concerns:
Katherine E. went through the state statutes regarding
cemeteries, and handed to the committee the sections that she thought would interest
the committee (see attached). This was a discussion item only, and no motion was
made.
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11.Discussion of next meeting date and agenda:
The committee will meet on
Thursday, August 21, 2003, in the Central Park Conference Room at 10:00 a.m.
12.Adjourn:
The meeting was adjourned at 11: 21 a.m.
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