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CEMETERY COMMISSION 2018/04/25 MinutesThe City of Lake Forest is subject to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who require certain accommodations in order to allow them to observe and/or participate in this meeti ng, or who have questions regarding the accessibility of the meeting or the facilities, are required to contact City Manager Robert R. Kiely, Jr., at (847) 234-2600 promptly to allow the City to make reasonable accommodations for those persons. CEMETERY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES LAKE FOREST CEMETERY GATEHOUSE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018, 5:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL: Chairman O’Brien called the meeting to order at 5:04 pm COMMISSIONERS PRESENT Dennis O’Brien, Chairman John Dick David Hooke Patrick Looby Daniel Kelly, MD COMMISSIONERS ABSENT None STAFF PRESENT Robert R. Kiely, Jr., Secretary Treasurer, City Manager Chuck Myers, Super. of Parks, Forestry & Cemetery Phil Alderks, Cemetery Sexton OTHERS Tony Hoban, William Blair II. APPROVAL OF JANUARY 24, 2018 MINUTES: Chairman O’Brien presented the minutes to the Commissioners for approval. Motion by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Looby, to approve the Minutes from January 24, 2018 with one correction to Item IV., Section C. Private Planting Rule in the second paragraph there was an unfinished sentence. Sexton Alderks said he would complete the sentence stating that the Commission would not be pursuing the monthly weeding option. Being no further discussion the Commissioner Kelly motioned to approve the minutes with the correction, seconded by Commissioner Looby, and passed by unanimous voice vote. Commissioner Dick asked when we were going to install the lighting of the main gate. Sexton Alderks said he had spoken with Community Development to see what the process involved and was told that a design was needed to present with the permit application process. Alderks said that this would better be part of the Barrell Memorial Gateway Restoration and would take some time. Superintendent Myers suggested that the Commission could have Craig Bergman help with the design process and application. Commissioner Dick also asked regarding the Commissions policy for meeting months and dates as he said July is the most popular month for vacations and that is when the next meeting is scheduled. Chairman O’Brien explained that the meeting months and dates align themselves with City budget and other processes. III. FIRST QUARTER INVESTMENT REPORT FROM WM BLAIR AND CO.: Tony Hoban from William Blair and Company reported on the Cemetery investment accounts. Hoban said the quarter was very volatile and that money has been flowing into bonds which shows there is concern in the market. Hoban informed the Commissioners that based on the parameters set forth in the Cemetery investment policy we are approaching the upper limit in the allowable percentage of funds invested in equities and the lower parameter for fixed investments and inquired as to what the Commission wanted him to do. Should he let it ride for a time and make adjustments later, or should he make adjustment now to ensure we stay within the policy. Chairman O’Brien instructed Hoban to make adjustments to stay within the Cemetery Investment Policy at this time. Hoban explained that for the first quarter we are up 2.4% while the S & P is down .8%. Hoban said valuations are reasonable and earnings are good at this point but there is not much happening in the bond market at this time. Following an overview of market conditions, Chairman O’Brien made the following motion. Motion by Chairman O’Brien directing Tony Hoban to continue with current investment strategy regarding Lake Forest Cemetery investment with William Blair & Co. Second by Commissioner Looby. Motion carried unanimously. IV. REVENUE/EXPENSE REPORT: Chairman O’Brien reviewed the Revenue and Expense Report for the quarter. O’Brien explained that while revenues are still lagging a little, expenses have been kept down. O’Brien said that we are also waiting to receive the $80,000 reimbursement from the ravine restoration grant that will help. Commissioner Looby asked why revenues were down this year. Sexton Alderks said that because lot sales can be a somewhat large total amount, if the Cemetery misses 1 or 2 larger sales in a year it greatly affects the budget. Alderks said that this year we’re missing that one ‘good’ sized sale which is reflected in the revenues. Chairman O’Brien inquired if there were any further questions or comments. The other Commissioners had no questions or comments about the report. V. CEMETERY UPDATES A. Private Planting Rule – Tabled at this time, waiting for updated costs. B. Memorial Garden Phase II Probable Costs Myers told the Commission that he would like to put into context all that is going on at the Cemetery. He said we have just finished up on the West Ravine Restoration, we are currently in the midst of the Barrell Gateway Restoration and are now beginning to look at the Memorial Garden Phase II construction. Myers stated that the priorities were 1) Barrell Memorial Gateway Restoration, 2) Memorial Garden Phase II, 3) further ravine issues. He said that due to changes in the approach of the Barrell Gateway project time and attention to the Phase II Memorial Garden project is moving forward, but at a slower pace. Superintendent Myers stated that staff is currently working with Craig Bergman to on a proposal to update Phase II plans and to secure a survey of the area in order to see what needs to be done. C. Barrell Memorial Gateway Restoration Superintendent Myers reported that in September of 2017 staff sent out an RFP for restoration of the Barrell Memorial Gateway. Myers said that while response to the RFP was extremely good, prices and approaches to the restoration differed greatly. Because of this Myers said staff decided to step back and rethink the process. Myers said that over the past 20 years the arch has been repointed 2 separate times at a total cost of around $200,000. Myers said that the in normal circumstances pointing of masonry structures should last longer than the 7 to 9 years we have been getting. Staff has now sent out an RFQ (approved by the Commission at the January meeting) to architects specializing in restoration in order to investigate why the pointing is not lasting and to write bid specifications so all contractors are bidding on equal work. Myers stated that staff has interviewed a number of firms and is narrowing the field down. Currently Brush Architects in Chicago is favored due to qualifications and pricing. Myers said that once a decision is made and a contract worked out, we will need to call a special meeting of the Commission to approve the contract before going to City Council for approval. Commissioner Dick asked if the architects will be using the latest technology to evaluate and investigate the arch. Secretary-Treasurer Kiely suggested contacting Landmarks Illinois to inquire as to what the latest recommended technology is. Chairman O’Brien suggested that staff verify the technology being used and report to the Commissioners before moving forward with contract negotiation. Superintendent Myers will contact Landmark Illinois. VI. REVIEW OF LAKE FOREST CEMETERY LOT BUYBACK POLICY: Sexton Alderks informed the Commissioners that he has been contacted by a number of families now interested in selling unused sites back to the Cemetery. Cemetery Rules and Regulations state that the Cemetery Commission will purchase any unused gravesite for the original purchase price of the lot or $2,000 per grave, whichever is greater. These families are petitioning the Commission for pricing greater than allowed by Cemetery policy. Because Alderks does not have the authority to offer more than the Commission’s policy states, he is asking the Commission how they want him to proceed. Commissioner Dick stated that he spoke to another cemetery and they stated that offering 25% of the retail price was a good starting point. Sexton Alderks said that is in line with the current policy as the average weighted grave price is around the $8,500 a grave range for the Cemetery and we offer what the family originally paid for the graves or a minimum of $2,000 for a grave. At this time discussion was tabled until the July meeting. VII. OTHER MATTERS: None VIII. CITIZENS’ OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS CEMETERY COMMISSION: No public in attendance IX. NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018, 5:00 PM X. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Chairman O’Brien, seconded by Commissioner Kelly, to adjourn, motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned.