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HomeMy Public PortalAbout09-07-2016 Minutes HCC Regular Meeting Minutes Hillsborough Cemetery Committee Wednesday, September 7, 2016 9:00 a.m., Town Barn Present: Chair Ken Ostrand, Lisa Williams, Jane Gaede, David McCullough, Evelyn Poole-Kober Absent: Vice Chair Ashley DeSena, Archivist Bartow Culp Staff: Ken Hines, Jamie Johnson Guest: Michael Verville Item 1: Call meeting to order, and confirm presence of a quorum Chair Ostrand called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. He called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda Ms. Williams would like to discuss joining the Association for Gravestone Studies. The association offers meetings, workshops and networking opportunities and has a North Carolina Chapter. The institutional cost to join the association is $65 a year. Mr. McCullough belonged to the association in the 90’s and went to four or five of their annual conferences. He noted they present scholarly information on both historical and preservation interests. He consulted the AGS about the use of D2 and they gave it rave reviews before the committee put it to use during work days. Motion: Ms. Williams made a motion for the Cemetery Committee to join the Association of Gravestone Studies. Second: Mr. McCullough seconded the motion. Vote: Unanimous Ms. Poole-Kober needs to leave at 9:45 a.m. and would like to discuss the steward reports earlier in the meeting. Motion: Ms. Williams made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Second: Mr. McCullough seconded the motion. Vote: Unanimous Item 3: Approval of minutes from July 28, 2016 meeting Ms. Williams asked to change item # 6. Volunteers became tired and left during the June work day and not at the May work day. 2 Motion: Mr. McCullough made a motion to approve the minutes as amended from the July 28, 2016 meeting. Second: Ms. Williams seconded the motion. Vote: Unanimous Item 4: Michael Verville, Visitor’s Center: Possible OTC Display Michael Verville spoke to the committee about an opportunity to create a display of Hillsborough cemetery information in the Hillsborough Visitor’s Center. They have ongoing displays from groups around town, such as the Occoneechee Speedway Group. The displays serve as a “teaser” to visitors to encourage them to stay in town and explore the sites. Each display lasts about three months. The display area would be available in April or so of 2017. Ms. Poole-Kober suggested that all three cemeteries in town be featured in the display. Mr. McCullough will head up this effort with committee support. Item 5: Burke and Brochures: status reports Hines (OTC) and Williams (NTC, Walking Tour) The Old Town Cemetery walking brochures arrived yesterday, Sept. 6. They are high quality and should hold up to exposure to humidity. Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood suggested a particular brochure holder that could be approved for installation in the Old Town Cemetery and be installed on a wooden post. Ms. Williams suggested adding a note to solicit cemetery work day volunteers in future brochures. Motion: Ms. Poole-Kober made a motion to purchase the proposed brochure holder presented at the meeting. Second: Ms. Williams seconded the motion. Vote: Unanimous Chair Ostrand indicated that the Sons of the American Revolution are waiting for results from the GPR work in the Old Town Cemetery to determine if there are available plots. They are moving forward by speaking to the state archaeologist to see if the grave can be moved. Ms. Williams has been working on the New Town Cemetery survey and has found some stones that were not previously recorded in the census report. She is noting condition of the stones in the survey to help with restoration prioritization. It will be spring before something can be done because the weather has been too hot. Item 6: OTC: GPR Report and new finds’ update: [Ostrand] The GPR report should be ready to present at the November meeting. The work was performed in August and took about 1 ½ days. The results looked clear and there are estimated to be 10 to 50 unmarked graves in the eastern half. Chair Ostrand located a stone in the cemetery and there was a newspaper article about it. Chair Ostrand is researching William Huntington’s possible involvement in the carving of gravestones in the Old Town Cemetery. Item 7: OTC and NTC: tombstone restoration, phase 2: cost and timing [Hines] Tombstone restoration budget is $10,000. Mr. Hines spoke with Dean Ruedrich and will get him a repair list as soon as possible. Mr. Ruedrich expects he can begin repairs at the end of November. There is a damaged stone in the New Town Cemetery that needs to be a priority. Mr. Hines mentioned that the 3 committee may want to use some of the funds to hire a monument company to reset some stones that are leaning or have fallen over. Mr. Hines suggested repairing the list of stones first and then seeing if any money is left to hire a monument company. The monument company work could be budgeted for in future years. Item 8: Planting: MLC; [stewards], OTC [grave planting; Ostrand] The Tree Board and the HDC will have to approve the removal of the trees that were damaged in the ice storm at the Margaret Lane Cemetery. In addition, the replacement plantings will require board and commission approval. Tree Board member, Phil Ray, indicated that the trees in place were planted by the Tree Board. The erosion of the bank at the Margaret Lane Cemetery needs to be addressed soon. Ms. Poole-Kober will assist with transplanting vinca from her yard as soon as the weather cools down. Chair Ostrand suggested planting ground cover plants on some of the graves in the New Town Cemetery in an effort to reduce damage to the stones by weedeaters and mowers. Ms. Williams will head up research for this effort. She will check with Multi-Flora to determine appropriate plant selection. Mr. Hines will check with Christina and get a quote for the work and any suggestions she may have about the project. Item 9: Budget Updates: Hines The committee spent money on the GPR work and the new OTC walking brochures. This leaves about $400 in the budget. There is $1,759 in the committee fund and the $10,000 for stone restoration. Item 10: Steward Reports: MLC, OTC, NTC. Ms. Poole-Kober noted it’s been too hot to transplant anything to the Margaret Lane Cemetery. The new mowing crew seems to be showing up more regularly than the previous contractor. Mr. McCullough asked if the Tree Board sign, which seems out of place, can be removed. Mr. Hines indicated it will have to be presented to the Tree Board. Mr. McCullough will head up this effort. Ms. Poole-Kober exited the meeting at 9:40 a.m. Chair Ostrand noted that the Old Town Cemetery construction workers have run over a few gravestones, made track marks from the equipment, and disassembled two stone benches. They are expected to complete this project in March 2017. A footstone in the Old Town Cemetery was damaged by the previous mowing contractor. There is a crack about 5” long on the footstone and the estimate for repairs is $325. This amount was deducted from their final pay. A gravestone has toppled over in section 1C of the New Town Cemetery. Item 11: Subcommittee Reports, and especially from Signage [Mr. McCullough] and others. The Margaret Lane Cemetery interpretive sign has not arrived yet. Once it arrives, the committee can decide on the final placement. 4 Item 11a: OTC Signage Mr. McCullough will check with Ms. Trueblood about the possibility to get started on content development for the Old Town Cemetery interpretive sign. He will check to see the schedule and potential needs for the Cemetery Committee’s assistance with the project. Item 12: Set next meeting date; [November 14 – December 2, 2016]; Adjourn Committee members proposed November 17, November 18, and December 1 at 9 a.m. for the next meeting date. Ms. Johnson will check the town meeting room reservation calendar and respond to members via email with the official date. November 17 is the preference. Chair Ostrand adjourned the meeting at 10:18 a.m. Submitted by: Jamie Johnson, September 9, 2016 Revised: November 21, 2016 by Jamie Johnson