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CEMETERY COMMISSION 2010/07/21 MinutesCEMETERY COMMISSION MEETING LAKE FOREST CEMETERY GATEHOUSE WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010, 5:30 P.M. MINUTES ROLL CALL/ CALL TO ORDER: The meeting of the Cemetery Commission was convened at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Forest Cemetery Gatehouse. The following members were present: Chairman Ronald Sevcik; Commission Members Ginny Grace, John Greene, Colin Silvester, and Prue Beidler. Staff members Robert R. Kiely, Jr., City Manager and Phil Alderks, Cemetery Sexton were present. Also attending was Tony Hoban of William Blair and Company. CONSENT AGENDA: Chairman Sevcik presented the following items for approval: Approval of Minutes from the Cemetery Commission Meeting held on April 21, 2010 Sales Report – Sexton Phil Alderks handed out an updated Sales Report (attached) for the Commission’s review. Member Ginny Grace moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Member Colin Silvester seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. SECOND QUARTER INVESTMENT REPORT FROM WILLIAM BLAIR AND COMPANY: Tony Hoban of William Blair and Company reported to the Commission that the asset allocation hasn’t changed much in the past quarter. He said that more money came into the account in April, but that money ($200,000) didn’t get to ‘work’ until late into the quarter. Dolby continues to be the largest holding in the portfolio and there were a number of small cap stocks added during the quarter. Mr. Hoban said that performance has been unremarkable, just average, for the quarter (down 2.8% for the total portfolio). Significant purchases for the quarter were Scott’s Miracle Grow which has the largest market share in its industry and Nuvasive whose market share is growing at a rate of 30% per year. Mr. Hoban then shared a general report of the overall market and where William Blair and Company saw the market moving. He stated that we have been through a rough quarter and it looks like we’re moving into another uncertain period. REPORT ON PRIVATE TRUSTS: Phil Alderks, Cemetery Sexton, presented a memo from City attorneys Holland and Knight (memo attached) to the Commission regarding the Private Trusts and how they may be invested. He explained that because of the language of the Trust Agreements, Holland and Knight did not see any problems with investing the Trusts under the Cemetery Commission’s investment policy as long as the Trusts, which specify a requirement for separate accounting, have that separate accounting maintained. Member Colin Silvester motioned: Resolve this Commission advises William Blair to invest the 11 separate Care Funds (being those funds for the perpetual care and maintenance of various plots and/or other facilities and the Cemetery) under the same asset distribution criteria as the principal cemetery investment accounts as stated in the Lake Forest Cemetery Investment Policy dated, October 19, 2006. This motion was seconded by Member Ginny Grace and passed unanimously. PROPOSED FEE FOR FAMILY PILLAR LOT: Cemetery Sexton Phil Alderks explained the process for determining pricing for the Ravine Family Pillar lot in Section A. Staff recommends a price of $90,000 for the lot based on its location (set on the ravine and overlooking Lake Michigan), other lots priced in the Cemetery and the process that has been used to determine past prices. Following discussion on the proposed price, Member Ginny Grace motioned to approve the price of $90,000 which was seconded by Member Prue Beidler. This passed unanimously. STATUS REPORTS: Mr. Alderks reported on the status of the following projects to the Commission. NOAA Grant – was not awarded to the Lake Forest Cemetery. Due to economic issues and a reassessment of grant criteria the Cemetery project is deemed to be on too small a scale. Currently City staff is seeking to partner with other area agencies to submit a larger scale project that would encompass multiple ravine systems in the Lake County area. Report on Ravine Planting – Mr. Alderks said that the Request For Quotes for the project had gone out and that Conservation Land Stewardship had entered the low quote. Mr. Alderks said the contract had been signed and that work would start this fall for the seeding, and may or may not extend into the spring depending on the availability of plant material for plugging. Shaw family niche purchase – Mr. Alderks reported that the Shaw family has purchased 2 additional niches in the main wall. APPROVAL OF GREENE FAMILY MONUMENT: Member John Greene presented a proposed monument for the McBride Family lot. Member Greene, whose wife is a daughter of the lot owner, shared the history of the situation and design for a new monument for the lot. Mr. Greene stated that they had discussed the new monument with all siblings of the Paul McBride family and had their approval for the replacement of the existing monument with the new monument. Cemetery Sexton Alderks confirmed to the Commission that all the proper authorization and approval forms have been submitted by the family. Mr. Greene explained that the new monument features 2 bronze sculptures created by his wife, Jean, as seen in the photo mock-up. Let the record show that after completing the presentation of the proposed monument, Member Greene excused himself from the room. Following discussion by the Commission, Member Grace asked if this design was in keeping with previously approved monuments. Mr. Alderks said that there is no deviation from other previously approved monuments that are in the Cemetery. Member Prue Beidler made a motion to approve the Greene Family monument. Member Ginny Grace seconded the motion which passed unanimously. Member Greene then returned to the meeting. APPROVAL OF PENNELLA FAMILY MONUMENT: Mr. Alderks presented the drawing for the Pennella Family Monument. Mr. Alderks explained the issue was not with the design but there was an extenuating circumstance with the size of the monument. The Pennella family’s lot is odd shaped and borders between allowing a 4’ maximum base and a 6’ maximum base for the monument. Mr. Alderks said that due to the location of the lot (it is located in the back row of the section) the 6’ base, which is what the family is requesting, is not a problem from staff’s perspective. He also said that there are other monuments in the area that are the same size as the proposed Pennella monument. Member Ginny Grace made a motion to approve the Pennella Family monument. Member Prue Beidler seconded the motion which passed unanimously. CONSIDERATION OF MRS. DONNELLEY’S REQUEST FOR LANDSAPE PLANTINGS: Mr. Alderks reviewed a letter sent to the Commission by Barbi Donnelley regarding the area around her parent’s gravesite. Mrs. Donnelley is requesting that as some of the trees in the area have died, there be replacement plantings in the area. Mr. Alderks said that in addition to the letter, he has had a few conversations with Mrs. Donnelley about what could be done in the area and that in those conversations she has suggested that the family would be interested in making a donation toward that project. Member Ginny Grace suggested that we work together with the Donnelleys if they are showing an interest and are willing to help fund the project. City Manager Robert Kiely stated that we should have a process so that the Donnelleys and other families who may want to help fund public cemetery plantings around their family’s sites understand the requirements especially since this is somewhat precedent setting. Kiely stated that his thoughts were that a plan would need to be developed, submitted to and approved by the Cemetery Commission as part of the process. Mr. Alderks said that he has been in contact with landscape architect Dean Sheaffer, who is very familiar with O.C. Simonds work. He will have Mr. Sheaffer submit a proposal to create a design for the area proposed by Mrs. Donnelley. Alderks will then contact Mrs. Donnelley and see if there is any interest in further pursuing a working partnership on the project. CONSIDERATION OF MRS. DAIGNAULT’S REQUEST TO WAIVE RULES ON PRIVATE PLANTINGS: A letter to the Cemetery Commission from lot owner Mary Daignault concerning her shrubbery was read by Sexton Phil Alderks. Mr. Alderks reviewed the history of the Daignault situation and the Cemetery rules regarding replacement plantings. He also shared that he has been in communication with Mrs. Daignault and offered to plant plants (for a charge) for her that satisfy the rules of the Cemetery, but those specific plants weren’t exactly what Mrs. Daignault wanted. Member Beidler suggested that a letter to Mrs. Daignault be written stating that the Cemetery Commission does have a policy regarding replacement plantings that takes into consideration all areas of cemetery operations, not just individual family situations and that we should not deviate from those rules. Mrs. Beidler’s thought would be to offer that the Cemetery would pay for the plantings in light of Mrs. Daignault’s non-conforming replacements being removed. The Commission agreed. Sexton Alders will work with Chairman Sevcik to draft the letter to Mrs. Daignault from the Cemetery Commission. CONSIDERATION OF MR. GUTH’S REQUEST TO TRADE LOTS: Mr. Alderks reviewed a proposal by the Guth family to trade existing vacant lots in Section C for additional lots surrounding the Guth Mausoleum located in Section A. Mr. Alderks explained that Mr. Guth’s proposal to trade the lots purchased in the early 1990’s even-up for the new lots in Section A. Alderks said that it has been Cemetery policy not to trade even up for lots in situations like this, but to credit the original purchase price of the existing lots toward any new purchases. Commission members asked what exactly did the Guth family want to trade for. Mr. Alderks stated that he did not know exactly how many additional graves the Guth family wanted to acquire around their mausoleum only that Mr. Guth wanted to trade grave for grave, even-up for the lots. Member Colin Silverster asked that Mr. Guth submit a formal proposal to the Commission outlining exactly how many graves they would like to acquire. Member Prue Beidler asked that since the Guth’s already have 40 niches in the mausoleum and 8 graves in front of the mausoleum that the proposal also spell out what the family’s intentions are for the additional lots in Section A. Mr. Alderks will contact Mr. Guth concerning a proposal to trade the lots in Section C for the lots in Section A. OTHER MATTERS: No other matters at this time. NEXT MEETING: OCTOBER 20, 2010, 5:30 P.M.: The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Cemetery Commission will occur on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cemetery Gatehouse. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Phil Alderks Cemetery Sexton Cemetery Commission Minutes July 21, 2010 Page 5 of 5