Cemetery Commission — Burlington, VT
Date: 2024-09-19
Time: 16:30

Thursday, September 19, 2024, 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office

When: Sep 19, 2024 04:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Cemetery Commission
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1. Agenda
 Subject 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda
 Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


 Category 1. Agenda

 Department


 Type

 Recommended Action

 Subject 1.2. Motion to amend/adopt minutes from 6/20/2024
 Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


 Category 1. Agenda

 Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


 Type

 Recommended Action

2. Public Forum
 Subject 2.1. Verbal Comments
 Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office
 Category 2. Public Forum
 Department Council and Board
  Type

3. Deliberative Agenda
  Subject 3.1. Building Improvements
  Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


  Category 3. Deliberative Agenda

  Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


  Type

  Recommended Action

  Subject 3.2. Grow Wild Improvements
  Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


  Category 3. Deliberative Agenda

  Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


  Type

  Recommended Action

  Subject 3.3. Staff Updates



  Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


  Category 3. Deliberative Agenda

  Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


  Type

  Recommended Action

  Subject 3.4. Commissioner Items
  Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


  Category 3. Deliberative Agenda

  Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


  Type

  Recommended Action

4. Adjournment
Subject 4.1. Motion to adjourn
Meeting September 19, 2024 - Cemetery Commission Meeting - Thursday, September 19, 2024,
 4:30 PM, Lakeview Cemetery Office


Category 4. Adjournment

Department Council and Board


Type

Recommended Action

Cemetery Superintendent/BPRW Director: Cindi Wight
 Chair: Jennifer Diaz
 Vice-chair – Alexandra Millar




Cemetery Commission Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date: September 19, 2024

Commissioners Present: Jennifer Diaz, Alexandra Millar, Mary Wesley (Martha Dallas not present)

Staff Present: Holli Bushnell, Cindi Wight, Kim Bleakley,

Others Present: Donna Laban, Kate,

Meeting was called to order 4:41pm at by Chair Jennifer Diaz

  I. Approval of Agenda
 Diaz moved to adopt the agenda, Mary Wesley moved to second, all were in favor

  II. Approval of minutes from 6/20/2024
 Diaz moved to approve the minutes, Nancy Kirby seconded, all were in favor

 III. Public Forum
 Public forum was opened at 4:43pm. Vicky Bezio, daughter of former commissioner Rita
 Church, was present to speak on behalf of her mother. On a recent visit to the cemetery their
 vehicle bottomed out multiple times on cemetery roads. They would like re-paving to be
 considered for the FY2025 budget. Public forum was closed at 4:50pm

 IV. Building Improvements

 Kim Bleakley, Central Facilities Manager, was on hand to discuss the ongoing renovations to the
 Lakeview office building and Louisa Howard Chapel. In the last year an RFP was issued for the
 exterior renovation on office and chapel. The chapel work included slate roof cleaning and
 repair, exterior painting on trim and doors, repair of the railing out front, repointing of outside
 of building to help prevent future water damage, and, most importantly, removing lexan cover
 from leaded glass windows. When the lexan was removed, they discovered that each window
 was framed with foam and contained tubing to drain water. They also discovered that wood rot
 was present. The wood rot has been repaired and checked by a specialist architect who is very
 happy with the outcome. The windows are stunningly beautiful with light coming through. The
 circle window is the only remaining leaded glass window that needs to have the lexan removed.
 This final removal will complete the external renovation.




 City of Burlington  455 North Avenue  Burlington, Vermont 05401  (802) 863-2075
 Diaz felt the building looks amazing, and shared that she is delighted every time she drives by.
 Bleakley asked if Diaz was talking about the Chapel or the caretaker’s house, and Diaz confirmed
 that she was talking about the office. Bleakley then shared that the only work remaining on
 the office/caretaker’s house is rebuilding accessible ramp. Diaz added that she’s so happy to see
 Victorian touches returned and highlighted. Cindi Wight added that contractor Eric Guilford did
 an amazing job. Bleakley agreed that Guilford did an amazing job. She added that he also did
 some work on the lighting to help keep mounting invisible. This enables the lights to be directed
 upward without being visible.

 At this time lighting designer Donna Laban spoke about the Friends of Lakeview Cemetery
 chapel lighting project. This project started prior to the 2020 lockdown and has recently been
 completed. The work highlighted the structural beauty of the space, especially the beams. It
 was a labor of love to do work in the chapel. Everyone wanted lighting on the raised podium for
 safety. Low voltage lights were added along the ceiling to help highlight the gold stenciling.
 LEDs near ceiling are also dust protected so that they will not diminish. Ultimately, Laban and
 the Friends are very pleased with the mix of lower wattage LEDS and the addition of a few new
 switches. Everything worked out beautifully. They added approximately twice what was there
 previously in terms of light in the space. They replaced the sconces in addition to adding spots
 along roofline and in altar area. Almost everything that was originally planned was executed
 with the exception of replacing the pendant lamps (which folks agreed were appropriate). The
 left over funds will be used for exterior lighting.

 Wight added that the donors for the project were very happy. BPRW is getting quotes for clear
 panels on outside of windows to protect the leaded glass from vandalism, and that has already
 been funded by donor. Donor funds are also available to repair cracks in the walls and other
 wear and tear. Donors are ready to stand up for the space which is extremely encouraging.

 Alexandra Millar added that she would like to find a way to have story show up in wider BTV
 media space. So many people would be excited to hear about work of love and care. She shared
 that she would be happy to facilitate. Wight concurred that it would be great to do an actual
 press event on building. Millar and Wesley may team up to draft a press release and publicize
 further.


V. Grow Wild Improvements

 Kate Kruesi from Grow Wild Vermont shared that for the last couple of years her organization
 has been working to develop more wildlife corridors through cemetery. They worked with Paul
 and Steve to see what would add more ecological function in places that are the hardest to care
 for. Initiative Grow Wild (parts of Wildways) has been instrumental in making those changes.



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 Kruesi’s organization is trying to be an educational resource for folks who want to create
 habitats with native plants out of their lawns. Lakeview is a demonstrative site which is what
 most people want to see. It might look messy (no mow slopes, woody species, spreading shrub
 thickets), but that’s how we move forward with no and low mow spaces. The low and no mow
 programs were started in 2022. This year Grow Wild is adding more low mow areas, not shrub
 thickets (including site right behind chapel), but wild grasses kept long. It will continue to look
 better year after year, as seeds and plantings spread. Next Monday, 9/23, they’ll be planting the
 whole bank from the steps by the old vault all the way over to the chapel. This area will only
 need to be mown every other year with brush hog. On 9/23 they will be planting meadow
 islands to get started, and those plants will spread and seed over the next couple of years. This
 has the potential to keep staff from having to weedwhack all summer.

 Wesley asked if the plants being installed are native, and Kruesi confirmed that they are with
 the exception of wild petunia which is labeled clearly. It adds color and pollinator support, but
 everything else is native and most were actually already on the site and were just getting
 mowed down. Grow Wild is attempting to retrain the public to see lawns as what they could be.
 multi-colored, multi-dimensional spaces.


 VI. Staff Updates
 In the interest of time, Bushnell did not have any updates.

VII. Commissioner Updates
 In the interest of time, No commissioners had any updates.

VIII. Adjournment
 Diaz moved to adjourn, Kirby seconded, and all were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at
 5:22pm. The next meeting will be held June 20, 2024 at 4:30pm, at a location TBD.




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