HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/12/2003 - Regular Minutes - Cemetery Advisory Committee
City of College Station
Cemetery Committee
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Central Park Conference Room
10:00 a.m.
Staff Present:
Ross Albrecht, Forestry Superintendent; Delmer Charanza, Cemetery
Sexton; Ann Marie Hazlett, Parks Secretary.
Members Present:
Katherine Edwards, Chairman; Sarah Adams, Mary Lind Bryan,
Neal Nutall, Ed Burns.
Members Absent:
David Chester; Joe Wallace.
1.Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:11 a.m.
2.Hear Visitors:
There were no visitors present.
3.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of absentee requests:
Sarah A.
moved to approve the absentee request of David Chester. Neal N. seconded the
motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.
4.Discussion, consideration and possible approval of May minutes:
Neal N. made a
motion to approve the minutes from May 1, 2003. Sarah A. seconded the motion.
All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
5.Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding various religious burial
practices:
Katherine E. explained that she has been unsuccessful in getting Dr. Dave
to come speak to the committee regarding Hinduism. She said she would contact Dr.
Richard Stadelman and see if he had some other recommendations for the committee
to contact to speak of various religious practices. This was a discussion item only,
and no motion was made.
6.Presentation,discussion, and possible action on the sales price of standard,
cremate, and infant spaces:
Ross explained that upper city management would like
for the prices of cemetery spaces to be reviewed and a recommendation sent to City
Council. He added that there is a fiscal and budgetary policy that the City Council
adopts each year with the budget. The Cemetery is slated at full cost recovery, which
means that it needs to cover 80 – 100% of the operating costs of the cemetery. In
2001, the price of spaces were set at $600 for standard, $250 for cremate, and $100
for infants. At that time, this price structure put the cemetery at 79% cost recovery.
According to the fiscal and budgetary policy, this fee structure will be reviewed no
less than every 3 years.
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Ed B. asked the question if the problem is that the cemetery is only covering 79%.
Ross explained that with the 2001 fee structure that was passed, it was anticipated
that the cemetery would meet 79% cost recovery, which was based on selling 158
standard spaces each year, 15 cremate spaces each year and some investment earnings
on the endowment fund. It was presented to council that it was a move from where
the cemetery was to meet the 80 – 100% cost recovery, with the understanding that it
would be reviewed and brought back to council on a regular basis. Katherine asked
how much has the operating cost of the cemetery gone up. Ross replied that it has not
gone up that much, but the biggest problem is that the investment earnings have
dropped from $30K a year and are now only at $15K a year, so the cemetery is no
longer at 79%.
Ross handed out to the committee revenue projections and price recommendations for
the FY04 budget (see attached). According to this, the price of standard spaces
would need to increase to $700 a space for the cemetery to be in full compliance with
the budget policy of 80 – 100% cost recovery. Ross asked that the committee make a
price recommendation no later than July’s meeting, so that the committee’s
recommendations can be included into the agenda item cover sheet that will go to
council in August.
The committee expressed extreme concern about the cemetery being classified under
the full cost recovery category. The committee feels that they should be placed no
higher than the 50 – 80% cost recovery category. Ed B. made a motion that
Katherine E. go to City Council and expresses the feelings of the cemetery committee
regarding the budget policy and the cemetery being in the 80 – 100% cost recovery
category. Mary B. seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed
unanimously.
Sarah A. pointed out that the committee is looking at the price of spaces for the FY04
budget, and that it seems that the pricing will be reviewed by the cemetery committee
yearly. She was apprehensive in the possibility of raising the prices every year.
Neal N. asked if the cost of living index has been considered. For example, if the cost
of living index increases 5%, then the lot prices go up 5%. This might help stabilize
the thought process of how much to charge for the cemetery plots. He continued that
elderly citizens are mostly on a limited/fixed income, which determines what they can
and cannot pay.
Mary B. moved to table the discussion on the sales price of spaces until the July
meeting after Katherine E. makes a presentation to city council regarding the budget
policy. Ed B. seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed
unanimously.
7.Update and discussion regarding the site selection process for a new cemetery:
Ross 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
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sent offering a price range on either a 35-acre tract or a 50-acre tract. So far, there
has been no response. Ross reminded the committee that purchasing property is an
executive session item for City Council. This was an update only, and no motion was
made.
8.Discussion and possible appointment of a sub-committee to develop a list of
potential names for the new municipal cemetery site:
It has been suggested that
the site of the new cemetery be given a name. This would help identify that site and
use it as a sales tool, so if development stays on the bond election, it would be helpful
to say that it is for the cemetery instead of the “new cemetery site”. Sarah A., Ed B.,
and Neal N. will serve on a sub-committee for naming the new cemetery site. Ed B.
and Neal N. appointed Sarah A. to be chairman of the sub-committee.
9.Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding state statutes addressing
cemetery concerns:
There was no discussion on this item.
10.Discussion of next meeting date and agenda:
The committee will meet on
Thursday, July 24, 2003, in the Central Park Conference Room at 10:00 a.m.
11.Adjourn:
The meeting was adjourned at 11: 15 a.m.
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