1999-09-30 City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
Meeting Minutes: September 30, 1999
Present: Mr. Ward, Wood, Dunn, and Seamans
Approve minutes of previous meetings: May 12 and May 26, 1999
Moved by Mr. Dunn, Second Mr. Wood
Presentation by Phil Klimowicz, Grounds and Forestry Foreman. Discussion of activity
over the last year. Tree pruning and fertilization is complete. Plans for additional-tree
planting at North Beverly and Beverly Farms Cemeteries. Central cemetery will be
department' s next focus with enhancement of the cemetery' s feature trees. Broad leaf
treatment of turf in all cemeteries in third year. Idea is to eliminate weeds, which grow
faster than grass making cemeteries look uncut sooner.
Review of events since last meeting:
1. Letter to Public Services Director re: condition of cemeteries for Memorial Day
2. Article sent in by Ms Cotreau
3. Letter from Suzanne Clerkin
4. Request to treat single grave as six grave cremation lot: Approved by acclimation
5. Request to place memorial on a city gave: Request denied
6. Request for reimbursement to right head stones at North Beverly
7. Comment from former complainant
8. Letter from Hardy Prince re: restoration of monuments
9. Vandalism report: Central Cemetery
10. Report to Mayor regarding Cemetery activity in Fiscal 1999
11. Communication relative to "Flower Fund"
12. Trade of lots for Altshuler family
13. Relocation of Police memorial lot
14. Disposition of holding vault at Central Cemetery
15. Fiscal 2000 Cemetery budget:
Applications for lot representation: Jeanne S. Kline re: lots SG 454 and 455 SD 16
Approved by acclimation
Historic Cemeteries grant project: Elyse Cotreau to call State to determine eligibility of
the Cemeteries for grant funds and to learn registration procedures for recognition in the
National and State Registries of Historic Places.
Other Business:
Adjournment at: 7:00 PM
Next Meeting: October 28, 1999 at 6:00 PM at City Hall
City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
Loring Ward, chair
Elyse Cotreau
Eugene Wood
John Dunn
Peter Seamans, clerk
June 3, 1999
To: Michael Papamechail, Director
Department of Public Services
Re: Condition of Cemeteries for Memorial Day
For many years there have been numerous complalms about the condition of City
cemeteries, and early in May there were several expressed to this office. Many people are
unforgiving and will not recognize the impact of weather on both growth and the City' s
ability to cut.
Therefore, it has been a surprise to me that several people have called or visited this
office to express their satisfaction and appreciation for the excellent conditions found on
Memorial Day.
On behalf of the Board of Cemetery Managers, please pass along these positive feelings
to the men on your staff who perform this hard and underappreciated effort. It is another
example of a job well done.
Sincerely,
Peter Seamans,
Cemetery Services Administrator
City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
Loring Ward, chair
Elyse Cotreau
Eugene.Wood
John Dunn
Peter Seamans, clerk
June 10, 1999
Joy Wilbar
Abate Monuments
82 Elliott Street
Beverly, MA 01915
Dear Joy:
Returned, herewith, is your order for installation of a flush marker in Central Cemetery.
This grave, endowment, opening and liner were provided at public expense. It has been
longstanding cemetery policy that permanent markings of such graves would not be
permitted unless and until these costs were reimbursed. The current value of these, per
our posted price list, is $ 1,000 plus the cost of the installed outer burial container.
I truly regret having to return this order. Your customer is welcome to appeal to the
Board of Cemetery Manages for relief, and I recommend that this be done. Their next
meeting is June 22, so prompt action will be required to have this matter considered.
Sincerely,
Peter Seamans,
Cemetery Services Administrator
MARILYN BERTHEL
58 SO. MAIN STREET
NEWTON, NH 83858
JUNE 18, 1999
CITY OF BEVERLY
ATTN: PETER SEAMANS
Cemetery Services Administrator
191 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915
RE: ALBERT A. CARBONE - CENTRAL
LOT 212A SECTION 6 (1993)
Dear Mr Seamans & Board of Cemetery Managers:
At a very early age, my brother Albert suffered from a form of mental illness which did
not allow him to function within normal society. I believe that when he was approximately
16-years-old he was made a "WARD OF THE STATE" of Massachusetts.
My mother died in 1947 leaving my step-father with 8 children to raise. My mother had
not worked outside of the home, and had been Albert's full time caretaker during the
day. After my mother passed away, Albert at age 16 became an exceptionally difficult
challenge. My step-father had to Work everyday in order to feed and cloth all of us. We
lived life from one pay check to the next. Caring for and watching my brother was
impossible, Albert soon got into trouble with the law. The State assumed physical custody
and he was placed in DANVERS STATE HOSPITAL in a psychiatric ward. It is my understanding
that he was a resident patient at DANVERS until the state closed it down in the
late 1986's, and that Albert received SSI benefits because he was considered mentally
disabled. Throughout his stay at DANVERS several family members would hear from Albert
from time-to-time. Some of us would pick him up for home visits, especially during the
holidays.
It is also my belief that when Albert was released from the state hospital, at the time it
closed, he had a case worker/counselor assigned to him, and he continued to be supported
by the Social Security Administration. Additionally, that he had been assigned to a
group home or homes at Various times. We lost contact with Albert for several years.
We did not know where he lived, and he did not call us.
Searoans, page 2
However, In 1993, my sister and I were contacted by someone who told us that Albert was
hospltalized. We went to visit him In the hospital, it was the last time that I saw my
brother.
In 1995 ( two gears later ) through a mutual friend of the family, I received the news that
Albert had died shortly after our visit to the hospital. No one had attempted to contact or
Inform any family member that my brother had passed away in DECEMBER 1993.
In 1997, I tried to locate my brother's grave. I wanted to at least put flowers on his grave
for Memorial Day. I couldn't find the grave, it has bothered me since I learned of my brother's
death that, through no fault of his own, he has an unmarked grave.
My husband and I are retired and live on a fixed Income, and we also have large medical
expenses not covered by insurance. it has taken us two years to save some money to purchase
a marker for Albert's grave. However, even though we have saved these funds, we
still cannot afford to pay the entire cost of the foundation and marker. We have accepted
the financial assistance from one of my brothers and his wife to help pay the additional
cost.
Therefore, you can understand why I was very much distressed to learn that even though
I now have the means to order a marker, I am not allowed to do so. An additional cost of
'$1,666.66 plus the cost of the installed outer burial container" has been demanded before
my brother's grave can be marked.
So it seems that my good intentions of recognizing that my brother was not totally alone,
but had a family who tried to bring some comfort to him In his troubled life - cannot validate
this fact in his troubled passing from life.
I am requesting relief of the payment of - $1,666.66 plus the cost of the installed outer
burial container - as it is beyond my financial means. Furthermore, no other family member
is in a position to help us at this point. As you can see, we come from a working clase
family, and the rest of the surviving brothers and sisters are either retired, or living on
pensions received after years of labor. None of us have hidden "nest eggs".
Thank you for your consideration, and assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Berthel
PERMIT FORM - SIGN and RETURN
ABATE MONUMENTS
82 ELLIOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915
(508) 922-0517
Date ,
To the Cemetery Superintendent of:
Request for a permit to:
Erect Memorial: see sketch on back
2"-0" x 1 '-0" x 3'-0" []
2'-6' x 1 '-0" x 3'-0" []
3'-0" x 1 '-0' x 3'-0" []
3'-6' x 1%0" x 3'-0" []
4'-0' x 1 '-0" x 3'-0' []
4'-6" x 1 '-0" x 3'-0" []
Set a Flat Marker
M[sc.
Cut Inscription []
Cemetery Charge
For Cement Foundation
6
Permit Charge
7' 2 r,,-2 //
Location
Name of deceased
,6
Signed below by lot owner or designated representative
X' SIGN HERE
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City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
Loring Ward, chair
Elyse Cotreau
Eugene Wood
John Dunn
Peter Seamans,
June 3, 1999
To: Frank J. Killilea, PE
Director of Engineering
City of Beverly
Re: Toppled monuments
Several monuments in the North Beverly Cemetery are toppled over. This is unusual for
North Beverly as vandalism, common in other cemeteries, has heretofor not been an
issue. Vandals usually push over stones in a "path" of destruction which is not case in
North Beverly. I suspect that these stones are over consequent to the blasting activity
along Cabot Street.
Normally, monument care is the responsibility of the lot owner, and we have resisted the
attractive notion of assuming the responsibility of monument care by the City. However,
I have engaged A. T. Mscisz to right five overturned monuments with the hope that the
contractor will reimburse this expense.
If you believe that this theory has merit, the Board of Cemetery Managers, thanks you
bringing matter to their attention.
Sincerely,
Peter Seamans,
Cemetery Services Administrator
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OFI-ICER'S REPORT
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City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
191 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915
978-921-6000
Loring Ward, chair
Elyse Cotreau
Eugene Wood
John Dunn
Peter Seamans, clerk
August 12, 1999
Daniel Murphy, Chief Administrative Aide
Mayor's Office
191 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915
Dear Dan:
The Beverly Cemetery System enjoyed a year of improved service to the citizens of
Beverly during the fiscal year just ended. There is a generally accepted opinion in the
City that the quality of grounds care is substantially impeyed over the past with each
successive year finding improvement over the previous.
During the last fiscal year, Public Services performed clearing and grubbing activity
effectively eliminating overgrowth on Walnut Hill, the rise at the corner of Butman and
Bisson Streets and the extensive area behind the garage at the intersection of Lothrop and
Bisson Streets. This work, while improving the asppearances of Central Cemetery, will
ultimately help the Cemetery System expand burial capacity by opening new areas for
development. In addition, substantial repair of cemetery fences, signage and trees was
accomplished.
In Fiscal Year 1999, this department sold 66 cemetery lots. This level of demand is only
slightly above the five year average of 60.4 cemetery lots per year. My analysis
demonstrates that this level of demand remains reasonably constant and is useful for
anticipating the requirements for the City in the future. We can expect that the city has
cemetery lots well into the next decade. We have begun exploring future expansion
opportunities both within our existing cemeteries and development of new areas as
cemeteries.
Over the past year, the department has performed 220 interments. This is not markedly
different from the five year average of 222.8 interments. Again, I believe this level of
activity is reliable for planning our future demands for service. Of the interments
performed, 74, or nearly 30%, were cremations. This is a trend which intuitively makes
sense and I believe the City can anticipate a growth in cremation interment services.
The above is an overview of recent activity and can be expanded upon if you believe
there might be imerest. In general, the Beverly Cemetery System is effectively fulfilling
its mission to the City and its citizens. While there is no Nirvana, we can be proud of our
facilities and rendered services.
Sincerely,
Peter Searoans
Administrator of Cemetery Services
RECEIVED OF r4~,s. r.}ttie N. Walker
38 powde~ ~o,~ne St., Marblehead tk
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~r th~ ENDOWMENT ~ No. naxt to ~199, ~lan 1, ~
in No. Beverly ~, standine in ~e name ~
~Or~e A. B~cMtead
Th~ money to be ~ed to fill ~he ~n each May 3~th
the m is ~ be taken in and stored each winter.
This deposit is made and accepted in
accordance with the provisions of the statutes
of the Commonwealth and the ordinances of
the Cit3' relative to the care 'and preservation
of cemetery lots.
City Trtaxurer
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City of Beverly
Board of Cemetery Managers
191 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915
978-921-6000
Loring Ward, chair
Elyse Cotreau
Eugene Wood
John Durm
Peter Seamams, clerk
September 15, 1999
MEMO:
Donna Altshuler owner of central Cemetery lots Sect 9 lots 167 and 168 wishes to
trade these for three (3) six grave cremation lots Sect 2 lots C-24, C-25, and C-26. She
will deliver her deeds and we will effect the trade by issuing new deeds.
After the above takes place, we will relocate the um of ashes of Elizabeth
Schaefer from lot 167 to the new lots.
Mrs. Altshuler will be ordering a four foot bench for the new lots and oversized
flush markers, each containing two names at prevailing rates.
For the above: 2 double grave lots: $2400
3 six grave cremation lots: -2100
Relocation of created remains: -375
Net: $ -75
The Cemetery will perform the above at no additional charge to the family
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ABATE MONUMENTS
82 ELLIOT STREET · BEVERLY, MASS. 01915 · 922-0517