Town of Chichester
Cemetery Trustees meeting
January 9, 2023
The Chichester Cemetery Trustees met at 9:30 a.m. at the Historical Society building. Ruth Hammen, Fred Shaw, and Brenda Boswak attended.
Old business
For the second year, Chichester participated in the Wreaths Across America Day event on December 17, 2022. Despite a heavy snowstorm the day before, once again, nearly 50 volunteers participated laying Remembrance Wreaths on all 214 military veterans’ gravesites, all around Chichester. Town residents graciously volunteered to place a Remembrance Wreath designated with an American flag and military branch flag for each branch of the United States military, including POW/MIA, at the veterans’ monument during a brief ceremony. We appreciate the volunteers setting aside time to perform this gesture of remembrance and honor with grace, dignity, and respect.We discussed a few changes for next year’s wreath day, but overall, we believe the event ran smoothly. We are, once again, very proud and grateful for Chichester residents’ support. We did not discuss a wreath removal date.
Brenda will contact the owner of the land around Elijah Locke Burial Ground, again, about enlisting their help in maintaining the area surrounding the entrance to the burial site.
New business
Fred has revised and updated our current ‘deed’ used for the sale of burial lots as well as the ‘receipt of payment’ form. We will be using the new forms this Spring. Fred prepared and submitted the warrant articles the Cemetery Trustees are presenting to the town of Chichester for Town Meeting.
Fred and Ruth will submit a request to the Trustees of the Trust Funds for reimbursement to the town for cemetery lot maintenance
Ruthie has contacted Perry Bros. for information and prices on a one-year contract with them for providing cornerstones for us.
Ruthie will send the mowing/maintenance contract for 2023 to Hodgkins Painting & Maintenance and invite him to attend our February or March meeting.
Don Cotnoir, NH Monuments, is preparing estimates for gravestone restorations for us for 2023. Dignity Memorial, (Perry Bros.), has submitted a ‘proof of insurance certificate’. Brenda will ask Jodi if all the vendors we use for cemetery work should give us one.
We have had more requests for purchasing burial lots. At this time, we have created a ‘Reserve list’ of those names for the Cemetery Trustees to contact in the Spring.
Ruth and Fred will work on the ‘Cemetery Trustees Report’ for the Chichester Town Report.
Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,Brenda Boswak, Cemetery Trustee, Secretary