HomeMy Public PortalAbout20110511 - Cemetery Commission - Meeting MinutesHOPKINTON CEMETERY COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
MAY 11, 2011
PRESENT: Lynn Fournier, Chairman; Thomas Pratt, Claire Wright
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 PM.
Civil War Monument - Mr. Len Holden came before the board to discuss his wishes to have
the Civil War memorial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery cleaned and refurbished before the town’s
tri-centennial celebration. He noted that this year is also the 150th anniversary of the start
of the Civil War and our tri-centennial year of 2015 will be the 150th anniversary of its end,
in 1865. He said he feels this would be a good project for CPA funding. Mr. Holden
proposed contacting the monument restoration company that cleans the Doughboy and the
George Brown statues before the Marathon each year. Ms. Wright said the company is
Stuart Swan of Wellesley. Mr. Holden said he would get quotes for the work and would
submit an application to the CPC for the 2011-12 funding cycle. He asked for the support
and endorsement of the Cemetery Commission. The Commissioners agreed and suggested
the proposal be jointly endorsed by the Cemetery Commission and the Veterans Assoc.
Gettysburg Plaque – Mr. Holden showed the Commission an antique plaque with raised
engraving of the Gettysburg Address that has been in his family for many years. He said it
was salvaged from the “Washburn House” overlooking the tombs behind One Ash St.,
amongst items being discarded. He said he does not know anything about the plaque but
would like to have it cleaned and displayed somewhere in Town. The Commissioners
suggested asking the Stuart Swan Co. to identify the metal and recommend cleaning
methods. Possible locations were discussed, including inside the Comey Chapel or mounted
on a stone at the base of the Civil War monument.
Minutes – The minutes of the April 20, 2011 meeting were approved.
Mt. Auburn Roadway – Ms. Fournier said she spoke with the DPW director, who said the
Town Manager raised the question of who owns the upper portion of the roadway at Mt.
Auburn, believing that portion may belong to St. John’s Church. This is the most badly
deteriorated part and if it is not on Town property, the Town cannot repave it. Ms. Wright
suggested perhaps speaking to Ken Weismantel, as he had been involved in cemetery-
related matters for St. John’s Church.
Comey Chapel – Ms. Wright reported that the re-roofing of the Chapel is underway.
Historic Headstone Repair/Resetting – Ms. Wright reported that she delivered to Ackerman
Monument Co. a prioritized listing of the fallen headstones slated for repair at the Main St.
Cemetery. She said she has learned that preservation experts do not recommend the
previously planned method of concrete encapsulation because it is irreversible. She said
preservation experts prefer treatments that do not damage the historic fabric and can be
undone. She reported finding several cemetery preservation resources, including the U.S.
Dept. of the Interior/ Nat’l. Park Service. She said it is recommended that broken stones be
set in a new concrete base, provided that enough of the stone remains at the bottom to
allow this. She noted that stones often break off at the inscription, and setting them into
concrete would lose some of the inscription, in which case gluing, pinning with steel rods, or
the concrete encapsulation are possible treatments. She said she will attend an Association
of Gravestone Studies conservation workshop in June, to gain basic information about
repairs and also methods of cleaning headstones. She said Ackerman Co. will begin some of
the repair work in the summer.
Abandoned Shed at Mt. Auburn – Ms. Fournier reported speaking with the Fire Chief about
perhaps burning the shed as a training exercise, but the Fire Dept. was not interested. He
explained that the Dept. receives many such requests but their training exercises focus on
saving structures rather than destroying them, so it is not relevant training. Ms. Fournier
said she contacted the Harvey Co. about a removing the debris and is awaiting a return call.
The Commission discussed possibly using its remaining 2010-11 operating funds to cover
this cost.
The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, 2011.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Claire Wright
Approved: Oct. 6. 2011