Meeting Minutes – January 2015

MINTURN CEMETERY DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

January 12, 2015

Members Present:

John Sheehan

Mike Martinez

Members Absent:

Dick Cleveland

Staff:

Sidney Harrington

Ray Sforzo

I CALL TO ORDER

John Sheehan called the regular meeting to order at approximately 4:10 p.m. at the Riverview Cemetery Mausoleum, Minturn, CO.

II ROLL CALL

John, Mike, Ray and Sidney were all present. Dick was out of town and did not attend.

III PUBLIC COMMENTS

n/a

IV APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES

John motioned to approve the meeting minutes from December 8, 2014 and Mike seconded the motion and all were in favor.

V. STAFF DISCUSSION

A. Ray gave a property manager report:

The Cemetery had a casket burial on December 22 in the lower cemetery. The days surrounding the burial we received more than a foot of snow and on the day of the burial, we had blizzard conditions with heavy and continuous snowfall. Ray reported that he set up two days earlier and found no frost line or dig challenges with frozen ground because the snow insulates the ground. The burial hole was kept covered until just before the casket arrived to prevent the hole from filling with snow. The burial service went rather quickly due to weather. This particular burial proved to be one of the more challenging due to winter weather.

In addition, when Sidney met with the deceased family (pre-funeral), their rear-wheel drive sedan got stock coming up the cemetery center drive. One of the ladies got out of the car and slipped and fell. She then asked if she could “sue the cemetery”. The Board agreed that there is no negligence here and Sidney shall consult with Matt Mire to determine an appropriate response to this type of inquiry from the general public.

The Board inquired about winter visitors and Ray and Sidney both reported seeing visitors even during the snowiest conditions, i.e. one of the newer burials in the upper cemetery recently had a snowman built on the gravesite to celebrate the deceased’s birthday.

Ray also reported that roof snow buildup around the vent pipe on the mausoleum roof resulted in a service call to PSI (plumber). Ray had the snow removed from the roof to clear the vent pipe. Mike suggested that we extend the vent to prevent this from happening further. Here in Vail/Minturn we have had more than13 feet of snow this season.

Ray reported that regular snow removal was going well with A4S and 25 plows have already been done. Upon request of Arnold with TOM the new lower snow gate has been left open recently due to all the elk that we have had in the area.

The new Cemetery railings by the public restroom were recently used as a snowboard rail slide by a local boy who built a snow ramp and slid down the railings. The video posting was pointed out to Ray by Arnold who works for TOM. Ray will have some divits welded onto the railing to prevent this from happening further.

Ray finished by saying he is really pleased with our current subcontractors who perform the grave excavation and the snow removal services.

A. Sidney gave an Administrator report:

Matt Mire has revised the R&Rs and fee schedule per our recommendations at the last meeting. Sidney also recommended that we remove the 10-foot burial fee from our fee schedule as we do not offer the “double-decker” option any longer and we do not want to encourage it for any reason. John motioned to remove it and Mike seconded and all were in favor. If the occasion arises where we are digging that deep, we will price it accordingly. Sidney will distribute the amended docs to the Board at the next meeting.

Sidney will distribute the 2 letters to funeral homes (composed by Matt Mire) reminding them of our services, fees and R&Rs.

Sidney distributed the Eagle County 2014 tax revenue statement for the District. $524,180.13 was collected in 2014. December bank account balances for First Bank and COLOTRUST accounts were verified by the Board for 2014 audit purposes.

Sidney would like to close the CHASE Ink credit card account that is still in Ernie’s name. Ernie does not have a District Credit card in his possession; however, the account is still in his name for the Minturn Cemetery District. Upon the advice of Marchetti & Weaver, it is easiest to close CHASE and open a new one at First Bank in a current Board members name instead of trying to transfer the account.

Finally, the Board was asked to acknowledge that the subcontracts for the District Administrator (Sidney) and the District Property Manager (Ray) though they expired in May of 2014 shall be continued and extended until new agreements can be reviewed and approved by Board and Staff. John motioned that Ray & Sidney’s contracts are still in good standing and the Board will review new contracts in the coming months. Mike seconded and all were in favor. John and Mike both commended the Staff for how well things are running here at the Cemetery due to the exceptional efforts of Ray & Sidney.

In closing, both John and Mike inquired about the shed building status. Ray intends to keep moving forward with Jim McNiel so that we can execute the plan in the spring/summer.

VI. BILL PAYING

The following electronic funds transfers were made:

EFT 12/15/2014 Vail Honeywagon 25.00

EFT 12/21/2014 ERWSD 112.48

EFT 1/12/2015 Centurylink 260.43

The following checks were signed:

1/12/2015 1793 A4S Construction 4,290.00

1/12/2015 1800 Chase Ink 1,938.86

1/12/2015 1794 Defina Construction, Inc. 400.00

1/12/2105 1801 Eagle County Historical Society 251.00

1/12/2015 1795 Fitz Landscaping 9,338.13

1/12/2015 1796 Great Divide Construction 1,244.98

1/12/2015 1797 Home Depot 1,197.84

1/12/2015 1798 Liberty Mutual Insurance 152.00

1/12/2015 1792 Marchetti & Weaver, LLC 378.20

1/12/2015 1802 Sforzo Enterprises, Inc. 5,635.00

1/12/2015 1803 Sidney Harrington 2,240.00

1/12/2015 1804 Vail’s Cleaning Machine 210.00

1/12/2015 1799 Vail Lock, Key & Safe 69.99

1/12/2015 1805 Vail Electronics 407.00

1/12/2015 1806 Xcel Energy 1,123.86

VII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Shed building, Ray & Sidney’s subcontracts for the District

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

John motioned to adjourn the regular meeting, Mike seconded and all were in favor at approximately 5:17 PM.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 9, 4:00 p.m., at the Minturn Riverview Cemetery Mausoleum, Minturn, CO.

Respectfully Submitted:

Sidney Harrington

Administrator

ATTEST:

______________________

Mike Martinez

Minturn Cemetery District

Secretary/Treasurer