City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Cemetery Committee, 6 Apr 2023

Previous Meeting

Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: 4.6.2023 Cemetery Committee

Description

4.6.2023 Cemetery Committee

A

I'll do it like the other, the governance thing and changing our ordinance. I will.

A

Call do a roll call, so we'll be more like the other committees.

A

um Michael griffin present eva present, this is sue present.

B

Did you only know me for like 30 years, 20 years, what my my mind just went blank for.

A

Your last name voice voice, um I'm here susan's, terry john marcheson. Thank you.

A

um I'm sure there's a little humor on our videos if anybody watches them.

A

um Well, thank you for coming appreciate. It. Suzanne is in ohio, doing a family event, so cynthia who is.

A

Her administrative assistant for about everybody up there um is going to take notes today.

A

So I guess we can get on our way. I will just start with the agenda and skip to that.

A

um So we can't approve minutes, because we need seven people, not just six.

A

Going forward if the agenda gets changed, uh the ordinance gets changed, we'll be fine with six.

A

So that's one of the biggest reasons we more than average. We seem to be able to bring six in.

A

um Every time so which I'll just put out I'll get to it at the ordinance.

A

um Slideshow of completed and future cemetery projects.

A

Yeah um I I apologize. I could not get all the pictures that I wanted. uh My computer.

A

Ate them, I know they're on there someplace and if anybody knows of a good photo managing.

A

um Application, let me know, because I just use microsoft and it's awful and I get frustrated.

A

With it, this is the wall or the lack of wall. This is the hill by cotton cemetery.

A

And, as you can see, if you look close on the left hand side, you can see the wall.

A

There and then you can, there is no wall, and then it continues to go on.

A

So is that from the playground, that's from the playground? Okay, so next picture, please.

C

Not playground, I guess, feels ball fields, yeah all fields. Thank you. Oh.

A

And they're, not in order because one of the things it does no matter what I do, it places them in the.

A

Order of the date of the picture, instead of letting me create my own film so anyway, so.

A

That's hall cemetery which I'll update right now is the survey um as to what the right-of-way is.

A

From south street to the back has been completed and next uh wednesday I am on the agenda for trees.

A

And greenery and just get an update from them when they're going to do a walk through, so they.

A

Can actually see not only the cemetery but also the path that leads up and what kinds of removal.

A

Of trees that we're talking about so that's on its way. Next, oh, oh! This is cotton cemetery. This.

A

Is the big gun in cotton cemetery um his peter shores? He was the first.

A

I don't know what comes after, who comes after the captain, the first mate or something like that.

A

I don't know what the the official title is, but he was with tom captain thomas thompson when the.

A

Raleigh was launched over off of badges island, so he you know he was on that ship and helped command.

A

Did it uh or a second in command or whatever it is so um in every cemetery, I'm sort of trying to find.

A

Not real big names like whipple, but in names of people that were really active and people.

A

Can relate to the raleigh, which is the ship on our flag so, and he was a part of that original.

A

Crew when it got launched, um so he is buried there. So do you know if he was a portsmouth.

D

Native, where he just died here or no he's the portsmouth, the shores go back. Okay, as a matter.

A

Of fact, his son peter shore, jr, is buried in hall cemetery and he was lost at sea and.

A

Someday or somebody else wants to research it I don't know if he was lost at sea during a fight.

A

With on a ship, I don't know what ship he was on, but maybe a storm. There was a lot of that.

B

The storm- let's see yeah, but there are a number of sea captains buried in all of these cemeteries and.

A

A lot of them were on privateers that fought in the war too. It wasn't just the continental navy, so.

A

um Like I said and someday, when there's nothing to do, but anyway, his son and captain janvrin.

A

And a couple others are buried in hall cemetery, but all in that that time frame that they would.

A

Have been a part of the revolution in some form, so he wasn't exactly lost at sea. Then.

A

Peter senior wasn't his son junior was lost, he's he's, not he's he's not very here. No, they just.

A

Have a headstone for him yeah, it's whether they call it a senator when they have just.

B

Their heads, a memorial where that remains yeah, there's quite a few that have um when you read.

A

The headstones they lost at sea um so uh and give you the date roughly when they were lost.

A

So this is in cotton cemetery. So next one please- and this is the pathway to hall cemetery. That's.

A

In that needs to be reviewed as to what's going to come down and what's not going to come down. But we.

A

Have the money? So it's not a matter of it's just getting the okay from! In the end, the okay from.

A

Peter rice, that everything has been settled, what trees are coming down and when. When the project's.

A

Going to start so we're on that path, it may be a doable one for this summer. So that's awesome.

A

um So that that's on the horizon, so did you get some feedback from one of the neighbors.

E

Concerns you well, I wasn't going to share all that. uh The first um meeting I went to there was.

A

Some pushback from some of the neighbors, um but I think we, you know, assured them. You know who we.

A

Are going to keep it up, we're not talking about clear-cutting anything down through there, the.

A

Neighbors were notified that they were going to be surveyed, so there was yes, some concerns about.

A

We're just gonna come in and slice down every tree that was there, so um we're not and the city is.

A

Going to go in and they're going to mark the trees as soon as max has time to do that. The arborist so.

A

The next meeting at the trees in greenery, I will be able to find out more about that so.

A

um And the other thing is um when it was surveyed, they have points, you know if they.

A

Have uh metal pipes and they those are called the points and they usually put a yellow or.

A

Orange you know tape around it. Well, I saw them after the day that um easterly did the survey.

A

And when I came back on monday, when I was taking pictures for this, somebody had buried them and.

A

Taken the yellow tags off and buried them, because the points were already there, they were correct.

A

But they were under dirt from years of not having them. You know cleared so when I went back, they.

A

They had put the points uh buried them again and the neighbor did let the dogs out on me. So, oh boy,.

A

I wasn't going to say anything, but I suppose I should just let you know that that happened. I.

A

Didn't get injured, didn't talk to the neighbors or anything, but he called the dogs back when I got to.

A

The street- and that was it so and the points are on his property, so we'll see dan and everybody.

A

Else know: hey I'll step aside and have one of you guys be the front of it. I don't think it's.

A

Me personally, but you don't know so so, but I'm positive, suzanne's positive uh max, is positive. So.

A

It might just be a little blip, and I also don't think we will reassure them that.

A

People already know where the cemetery the world already knows where this cemetery is.

A

You can google, it people do know about it, and google earth will show you where.

A

It is and then you can come to portsmouth and ask people, you know how to get there.

A

And change just because there's a path there, maybe a few people might walk up and through.

A

There, but it's not going to be a daily three or four people going up the property to look in hall.

A

Cemetery people going up in there are going to be are going to tend to be historians for maritime.

A

Or families buried there or whatever, but it's not going to be a daily rush of people pumping through.

A

The the that is the city's right-of-way, so just so you know what I don't think we're really up.

A

Against anything, I'm going to maintain positivity so on to anything else, michael that I forgot to.

F

No we're kind of skipping around here but well yeah, because I couldn't put don't understand.

F

This yeah, so all in the same neighborhood. I just wanted to show you that there were eight of those.

A

Brush piles when they got done um cleaning out the side of the hill at cotton cemetery- oh wow,.

A

Wow these guys took, I think it was two days they created the great big brush, piles and.

A

Then they got rid of the brush piles in a day. I originally intended to burn them, but.

C

It's too dryer yeah with snow cover you could have, but maybe because of it I think.

A

Peter wasn't thrilled about it. That's what jim had said so, okay, I complained to michael a lot.

A

If I forget something noticeable what they did, oh yeah, it's just great, so I.

A

Just wanted to you know: let people see how much work the city has put in to taking.

A

Serious these projects so, and that wasn't even one that was like top priority. They just went.

A

Ahead and did it so I mean they knew about it, but didn't make a big deal about it. So next.

A

I just wanted to show you what the tree trimming looks like this year after the winter.

A

It looks way better than most. Everybody thought the trees did really fill in and when you drive.

A

By you can see the cemetery above the the wall going forward, pleasant, pleasant, yeah, pleasant, so.

A

um It looks great, I'm really happy that looks awesome. It does look wonderful yeah, so I I.

A

Couldn't find my picture of the back side of the wall? That's a project that we could put.

A

Potentially, on the um for the grant list that we, um the back of it, is in really tough shape because.

A

Everything was up against it and it needs to be repaired. This wall is between 250 and 300 years.

A

Old, nobody knows for sure, so it's definitely worth saving um at some point, not absolutely necessarily.

A

On the top of the list, who should take full credit for cleaning all those stones? Oh my family, yes,.

A

um Yeah this was a family project, because my our fourth great-grandfather, who also was a captain.

A

And who I haven't had time to research um had his own ship, so he could have been involved in the war.

A

He's the grandfather that got me into all of this: well, my grandmother's buried there too, so I should.

A

Thank him for captain ham is his name, and eliza is my grandmother, so yeah all of the grandkids.

A

Niece and everything husbands all came down and cleaned up so nice, it's great. It was a good day.

A

It did not take that long either. You know and the kids were most of them were teenagers, so they.

A

Went crazy and had to pull them out of there from not trying to make him spit shined. You know so.

A

I'm back is starting to be in tough shape again.

A

That's a really big project and I haven't gotten any estimates or guesstimates about it.

A

So I mean that's, certainly something we could think about, but.

A

When was the last time you were in there michael was it before they sort of shorted up a little bit.

F

Yeah I'd be thinking 20 years ago, oh yeah, I haven't done a lot of research on it, but.

A

It's certainly something up there. If someone should come along and ask it if the door is all.

B

Secured yeah yeah and the kids cleaned there was a nice marble plaque over the top of it. The kids.

A

Cleaned that all up, so you can read it now and clean some of the bricks on the side. So it looks.

A

A lot nicer, but there are quite a few. I don't know if the crack's gone through and I don't.

A

Know if it had the grassroots roof on it to begin with, I mean there's plenty of grass on it now so.

A

I I don't know I haven't done any research, but I wanted to show you how how good it does look and.

A

The back side of the wall needs some reparation, which would not be.

A

Too too much money, but it does need to be done next. Please.

A

It's also dual um point of graves. I tried to get up top to show you the angle that.

A

How all the water, when it does rain, goes down to that far point where the telephone pole is.

A

um And see the slope on the left hand, side all the runoff from the not all the runoff, because.

A

It goes down straight, but a lot of the runoff from the bridge goes right down to that point.

A

Too- and I do have pictures of where old pictures that show you know that stone wall was much higher.

A

um This is project has been approved as far as.

A

Testing doing water testing or ground pits to see how high the water table is down in that corner.

A

Before we would spend any money on repairing the stone wall um at city hall, they that storm, we had.

A

In december yeah they took pictures of everything in the neighborhood except our little corner, so.

A

um But in that driveway that's adjacent to it. It's a woman on the on the bottom left.

A

I actually spoke to her, I knocked on her door, so we were talking and everything.

A

um Because she did have a picture where the water came to roughly, where her car is yeah. So.

A

um It wasn't as high as down below where that white house is. I mean it's getting there, though,.

A

Did you walk down through there yeah walk down there that day christmas eve, I think yeah, but.

C

um And I was surprised, the point of grace was actually pretty dry all around. It was.

C

Like yeah, it was water yeah prescott park, yeah that part of prescott park was, if you.

B

Look at really old maps. Portsmouth you had the point of graves being a dry uh area that is not.

B

You can tell it was dry rather than well. We know today, as prescott park, which is failed.

B

Yeah every location you see it, that is just stand alone, uh so it wasn't it. You know the.

B

Right founders, probably our founders- wanted to make sure it was a piece of really good.

B

Dry, land and who knows what kind of build up has happened around it or yes, yes, I I have. I.

A

Have a picture that shows the wall being the road being much lower right and I've.

A

Done a little bit of research, but exactly you have to go through the town to find out.

A

How high they filled it for all kinds of reasons, but yeah to your point like that.

A

Right area that center area, um you know, if that's feeling it from underneath now it's gonna, you know.

A

Yeah and and if she's getting watered down her driveway, there's some sort of absorption going. But.

A

The thrust of all of it is um from the um not the archaeologists from the engineers.

A

And everything that the sea wall- that's there is leaking water. In I mean it's still holding.

A

Out the vast majority, but over the years the water is slowly coming underneath and.

A

Going so we could, they could dig there and it could be 10 feet or they could dig there.

A

And it could be just two feet down when they meet the water, but that's what did the western.

A

And samson they did up the report, it was 45 or it is forty thousand dollars. Peter gave the okay. You.

A

Know we voted on it, we have it's on the project list and not as a cip, um but- and this is what I've.

A

Learned so much of right beyond that white house is a utility center for the city and they're going.

A

To be digging that all up and doing this and doing that and that that date keeps juggling around too.

A

So, are they moving it or I I don't know, I didn't ask they're putting stuff underground. I I know.

A

That and it doesn't, I think they have to upgrade it too, because of all the new everything in town.

A

But they're going to upgrade it and I think they're also putting lines underneath.

A

So they want to roll because it's the same company they want to roll this project into.

A

What's going on next door at prescott park in strawberry bank and everything, so that's.

A

Just starting to be discussed again, they didn't do anything over the winter, so I it's still on the.

A

Agenda for them to have this done, we just don't know what when and where, but the money has been.

A

Designated so which leads to the second part. I think I have another picture right left. Oh sorry,.

A

um The second part that wall from the left all the way over, could be a project for us um suzanne.

A

Talked about um like we're doing down at union and uh north cemetery, we're dividing it into.

A

Two so we're going to fix the actual stone wall and then it's it may change. We may actually do.

A

um We may not have to do rip wrap, which is a wrap and lots of stones and everything the state might.

A

Come back and say they want us to plant it instead, because that's the new um environmental thing that.

A

People are trying to accomplish, as opposed to just dumping, rocks every place along the waterfront any.

A

Place not just here so um it's in the middle of being permitted right now. So that's coming along.

A

So we might actually get the the whole section of union and north done in one fell swoop. If it.

A

Turns out to be a planting because we won't have to pay to have it planted, the city will plant it.

A

We have enough funds and- and do that so we won't know about that. For you know a couple of months.

A

But it's in the works, so everybody knows that. So that's what we were thinking about the wall there.

A

Are a lot more cracks and bricks exposed on that section, so we this year we could ask for a built.

A

A grant that would just fix that partial portion of the wall, because the other thing is even if we.

A

Find out that down in that one section that it's really watery, but the rest of the cemetery is dry.

A

That uh this, the rest of the cemetery is not going to go. Anyplace we're not going to.

A

Dig them up and move them, or any of that thing so um probably not much to dig up.

B

Well, no, but I need to not even move the headstones so and the other thing to be truthful. I don't know.

A

How many of you could buy there all summer long, but this is probably our busiest cemetery besides.

A

Up on south street, because people run and do everything but for tourists there are always.

A

People in there all summer long so that wall is one project we could apply for a grant and.

A

Then fixing up this entryway doing the um you know having the the iron work redone having it.

A

um Reset, so it's not so it just looks really. Nice would probably be enough to cover that.

D

Yeah, that's what I would think: yeah yeah, okay, so just like they did with union cemetery and redid.

A

That whole front wall and redid the fencing and the post and everything we could do this.

A

Well, we could do that for this particular and there's no estimate on that. Yet: okay, oh okay,.

A

No, but it wouldn't take too long right right and again, my thought was um why we brought it up. Is.

A

Because that really is a real touristy area, so it would be a good representation of how.

A

Portsmouth feels about its historical cemeteries. What would you be looking to do uh to trans style.

F

Still works, oh yeah, just taking taking it out having it re whatever it is like they reflash.

A

It is that what they call it chemical term but yeah they reflash it, and then we would have the.

A

um Posts the granite post would be. I I'd like to see it leveled off to some extent, not perfect, but.

A

Take the wobbly look out of it, so I don't know what does anybody else feel like it's.

A

Just everything sort of goes to the middle sort of prop up the middle again, so it's straight across I.

A

Wouldn't touch the the pavers per se, just the gate, yeah or the turnstile. I mean that yeah to me is.

C

Oh yeah historic, I mean you can't yeah so sort of just take there's another way to fix up an entry.

C

Yeah, I don't know, I mean it, that's what they did down at that union. They they took out that fast.

A

The whole fence took it down and electrified it. Our electroplate, I think, is what they call.

A

It and then then re-coated it with the black and brought it back. It's a very common practice for.

A

Wrought iron at this point, so that's one of our options out there in the world.

A

um Oh so we're at the same fence that I was just trying to oh wall.

A

That's from this winter, so it's gotten much much bigger and I think.

A

Go to the next one and that's cracked. I have a picture from last year too, and that split is.

A

Getting bigger from this past winter so is that around the corner? No, oh right towards.

A

It's on the corner, yeah, it's just before you go down in yeah! Surprisingly, the inside of the.

A

um Wall isn't bad there. There isn't uh I'll I'll pass this around. It doesn't.

A

I found this or I shouldn't say james found it for me at um and.

A

Yeah, look what it looked like in the 70s. I mean it doesn't look anything like that, not even close to.

A

That now so they went down and did some artistic photos. So that's on the inside of the wall right.

A

There you did just a little up, so they put more plaster on it. Yeah! Oh here's, the other one.

A

I'll send it this way, there's two of them that was from theater by the sea,.

A

Yeah, so, okay, so that's couple right there and then we're back to uh cloud field. This is what it looks.

A

Like cleaned off right now, oh this way, um but I wanted to show you too, that they cut. That was.

A

A dead tree, it was a really big one that if it had fallen, it would have taken out a few of the.

A

Really old headstones, but all that other stuff is all gone, and I think the next picture shows that.

A

Oh no, this is michael's old swing for that that was a swing yep. um This is a picture that would.

A

Probably get us qualified to have um to get a grant to rebuild the wall, because that's not that.

A

Far from the headstones that you see right there, maybe a foot, foot and a half and further down also.

A

There are some headstones that are, you know, only a feet, two feet from where the erosion is going to.

A

Continue if the wall isn't put back in place, so um I don't know how many feet yeah next one please! Oh.

A

I just this was all these stones and their piles of them all over the place on the side of the hill.

A

Are from that original wall? So it's not like union union cemetery when I did the um walk through with.

A

The group of people that are going to work on it, they added that we might have to get approval.

A

From the army corps of engineers to pick up stones off the mud flats down there that were originally.

A

Part of the wall downstairs but down here we don't have to worry about that. So whoever.

A

Whoever we get, I would definitely include them. You know reusing the.

A

The stones- I don't know how they're going to get them back up there, but that's their.

A

That's what we would pay them for so so this is doable. How many feet would you say I didn't.

A

Measure it off about 30 feet is missing of the stone wall. It's not yeah again, it's not no more.

B

Than 50 feet, where it blew out, do you know why it blew out? Did you ever that trees, 85 years old, so I.

F

No, I don't know no, I mean I was just curious, my mind the same as it is now as when I grew.

B

Up, oh, okay, so it's been undone for a long time. So that's why the erosion down that thing is so.

B

Those trees that are there most of them are norway, maples they they're holding that slope. Oh yeah,.

F

Yeah they cleaned it out and did a wonderful job yeah. So the slope is stabilized yeah. So next one.

A

Oh and that's I mean it just looks really nice, you don't see all this big stupid.

A

Dead, no, not they weren't just branched. Well, they were branches, but they look more like.

A

Logs and stuff like that, so when you come down the road now and you look up there, there's even buds.

F

That looks like a new england setting yeah that you're in new england and there's an old stone.

A

Wall and headstones, and what what it probably looked like and another fact that I found out.

A

um There used to be a wooden fence between cotton, cemetery and proprietors.

A

They wanted to make sure that there was no crossing in between didn't say why, but it.

A

Took a lot of years to get the wooden fence down for some reason, it's in one of those articles.

A

um I'll bring them in. I I found articles from 1853 on in the new hampshire, portsmouth chronicle.

A

Which I didn't know existed back then it has. It had a cemetery report in a lot of the articles.

A

And I found michael's grandfather's name mentioned quite often in it, but.

A

um Yeah, that's where I read it briefly from the anthony and that there was a big, a big.

A

Fence and they wanted to keep it separate so so anyway, so you can see right up at top.

A

Where it stops and where it sort of goes along, so that's a project. So next else.

A

Move it along then, is there any more or was that the end of it might be because I couldn't.

F

Okay, great improvement did max take that on by himself or did no. He knew about the cleaning.

A

But he you know he didn't give us. It was on the list when we got all of our stuff um goes.

A

On a list over there and when things come up and there's free time. Because there wasn't any.

A

Snow, this winter they sent them over there to take care of that project. Oh, so let me find my.

A

All right here it is all right, so um I'll move on. I'm sorry. I couldn't find more pictures. One.

A

Of these days I well um so we actually talked, and we won't have to what was our.

A

May 1st were letters of intent may 21st 21st, so we still have time. Yes, um the seminar is april.

D

15Th 17th right, okay, so, and I've signed up for it. This is to to learn how to write an l-chip grant.

D

So I've signed up for that and then the letter of intent is june as may 21st and the.

D

The project the proposal itself is june- 21st, I think gotcha. um So I I will write up a full list.

A

um um Of what we've discussed here and if I think of anything else that you you guys can look up.

A

You know review it too and and think about it, so the next meeting will come up with.

A

You know which grants we want to go for and which projects that we would put out there.

A

um Also because we'd have everything, yeah suzanne would also have to talk to peter rice, because.

A

What we pick again might coincide with something that's going on that she may not know about so.

A

But we'll get it done by the next next meeting in may, um so we have the l chip, which is why.

A

Don't you explain them? L-Chip is up to eight um a money-wise yeah when you go on the the l-chip.

D

Website it's so confusing, it is confusing, but they have given away hundreds of thousands of dollars.

D

Just to one entity yeah, um and so, um but this is different than the moose plate grant, which is.

D

Twenty thousand dollars or or under this is almost in a sense. The skies the sky is the limit, but it's.

D

Much more involved as it should be, if you're going to ask for that kind of money um there there's a.

D

Lot more, that needs to be done to send in actually sue came, came over to my house last week or the.

D

Week before and we we talked about, um you know what would be needed and how to how to go about it.

D

um In our talks, we we focused on point of graves. You know where the where the money should go.

D

um And we talked about seventy five thousand dollars. Is that really yeah? They had estimated.

A

The rebuilding that wall well, if we did the one that sanka would be 150. But if we do the.

A

Section to re-plaster it and the whole thing would have to we couldn't just patch it right.

A

Enough to do the whole thing wouldn't be that much, but it wouldn't be that much because I'm.

D

Sitting here thinking well, should we ask for a hundred thousand just didn't? No, no we'd have.

A

To get a couple of people to come, look at it right so, but the biggest thing we talked about.

A

Too, is we already have where we have reports done edge report news report, um the assessment report.

A

They're all legitimate reports, there are things in preparation that will make it a lot easier and.

D

Certainly are extremely legitimate and right in their presentation, so we won't have to go.

A

Out and do a ton of research we have some of the biggest parts have already been done for us. So.

A

So and then I still haven't been able to find out, there's supposed to be this new conservation grant.

A

I can't get anybody to give me an answer exactly what that is, so um I've text, not texts. I've been.

A

In touch with amy dixon and brandi layton, who have done uh grants for us but they're really.

A

Swamped up there, so no one's gotten back to me and also the same thing happens up there. What.

A

It was people from pickering um that told me about this grant, but sometimes people interchange words.

A

So you don't know, it might just be one of the two that already exists so we'll find out about that.

A

um And the clg um should be approved by april 24th um and just keep your fingers crossed.

A

Because what that means is, um if the state will help us progress to get um point of graves and.

A

Pleasant street on the registries, um we can go for either the national history registry or the state.

A

Of new hampshire and I'm not sure that um cotton qualifies for it, I mean the upper part does so.

A

I don't know with a lot of newer gray headstones down below, but definitely those two are qualified.

A

Would qualify to be on the registry which I you know it should be out there and also.

A

Again, it just represents that we take part in our city.

A

um And what we think of our cemeteries so um that that will become available too, as we go along.

A

Ordinance change they had the first meeting first reading was last this past monday.

A

Next one will be the 17th and if anybody has any problems with the ordinance being changed.

A

That's when people would speak up, but um don't know of anybody that would is up, would has a.

A

Problem changing it, it brings us in line with everybody else, all the other committees and if.

A

You haven't submitted your application to stay on the committee. We need you to do it as soon as.

A

Possible I've done that, so how will they chop up the I think on it on it said the first, the.

B

Periods, so we don't all oh try everything they said the first I it was either the first four.

A

Or five people that get there applications in um will be the two-year and the rest will be for one.

A

Year but I mean people, it just means you'd fill out another replication, another application just.

A

Saying that you're on the committee- and it just has to go before the before the um council again.

A

But they're really supportive of us, so we can for the first. Is it four or five? I couldn't remember.

C

Four years and the rest of three years, oh no.

A

I I have a copy here. I I I think it's two in one for some reason.

A

um I I may be wrong.

A

But again it's just a matter of power.

A

It wasn't in the ordinance, it was in her message that she said.

A

uh History, I can't find it right. Oh oh you're, right members appointed.

A

After adoption of this ordinance shall be appointed to terms of three years commencing.

A

And two, I'm sorry. Thank you, no problem, just three and two so some reason I thought it was.

A

Two in one- oh, maybe that's what's on there now that might be what's on there, yeah yep, um okay,.

A

So again, if you haven't got it in it I mean, if you miss it, that's fine. You can just still send.

A

It in it will just mean you'll just go on another group of people that the city council approves so.

A

um Distribution of rack cards- uh eva, has her cards and she's going to start with.

A

I don't know if everybody heard you, the library, the discover center, the kiosk downtown. You know.

D

In market square, the chamber of commerce and uh the ac hotel was the only one that would.

D

That would take them, but um I mean I'm really glad to have them. It's the time.

D

To get them get them out there, but I'm sure there are going to be more places. I shouldn't.

D

Say that I went to a lot of places and they all said no, the historical houses, but I I.

D

um I actually am going to ask that when I go to the discover center, if I can put them across.

D

The road in the john paul uh jones house, yeah um and uh so yeah, I I haven't stopped looking.

D

But I will get these it the places that I've agreed. I will get them in there this weekend.

A

And I know I one of the women from the wentworth mansion: that's the one on uh market street right.

A

The gray house, no, the whipple house, sorry the whipples with the tree in front of him yeah.

A

I've lived here all my life and I can't keep anything straight. It's just the whipple house.

A

The whipple house, I know they were interested in oh good to having having it I'll go down.

D

There, thank you excuse me, is this on market street yeah? Isn't that uh yeah all the way down.

A

And I should learn all of this sorry, uh um so I think the um the green doors done if you haven't.

A

Seen that um and another project could also be in that- was it on the um that group of um pictures.

B

Now it really shows the other than the other doors it doesn't show very well, but it does yeah.

A

um So that's certainly another project. We could look into doing the finishing out the three doors.

A

That are there, so it all looks good that side wall is complete. Can we have a copy of that.

A

Wall, so I could show this one yeah. Thank you. I'm sorry, yeah yeah, um the sidewall uh going up into.

A

The cemetery at cotton has been done that those are what we're talking about. Oh you have yeah.

A

um So those that's been done and it's beautiful, so the three, the three more doors we could.

A

Put on our list to do also, um and also the fence, the wall, where those three doors are.

A

After the building that's falling down too, that needs to be done. So, if one is the long, one is too.

A

Expensive, we could always shoot for the side, one that faces south street so that we can.

A

um You know perk it up from the street and make people take notice of the cemetery more.

A

And then also the pictures I I dug those out because that shows you the.

A

Wrought iron railings and the fencing down in union cemetery, I haven't called.

A

um Oh, the guy down in northampton, he said: he'd work on it over this winter. I don't know that he.

A

Has about what it would cost to fix the fence in fences in that cemetery and the railings.

A

Along with it plus there's a lot of straightening, that needs to be done done in that cemetery. Yeah.

F

To make it bring it back to spectacular like it was uh what other projects are going on.

A

None that I know of at this point I mean we got a lot of things going so.

A

um The other thing I want everybody to know um keeping history, oh yeah I'll, show you and then.

A

Keeping history above water um portsmouth is part of sponsoring it, and it's going to be held at one.

A

Of the hotels downtown may 7th, 8th and 9th it's an international group and out of newburyport.

A

I contacted peter britz back in january and said I heard about it and said: hey do.

A

You think they would include cemeteries because it's an issue across the country.

A

To decide whether to let your cemetery go underwater or move it.

A

So I never heard anything back and then the other day I went to talk to christine spovero who I'll.

A

Talk about and stephanie secord said: what day do you want to do? A tour said my tour and it.

A

Was we're on the agenda and there's a tour of point of graves, so oh cool wow, so I am happy for.

A

Two reasons because it was starting to be included in things that are going on in portsmouth, they're.

A

Not just ignoring cemeteries, we're starting to be a part of their thought process and also.

A

That you know nationally, I don't know if we'll ever be mentioned again, but we brought up.

A

Something that other people who you know will have in their thought process and who will also in the.

A

Future, you know be aware of cemeteries, I don't know if they are, or they aren't right now, but.

A

The more we talk about it, the more it it will get out there not just for us, but for everybody.

A

um And lastly, for me, is I'm on the um archive committee, which is trying to decide what kind of.

A

Archive the city of portsmouth should should have can have will have whatever going forward, because.

A

All the anthonyum um the discovery center in strawberry bank, along with the city itself, have no.

A

Room for storing not just historical artifacts, but also things that need to remain whether it's legal.

A

Documents or what have you and the interesting part that I didn't think about because there's a.

A

Lot of archivists on the committee that it's going to be a difficult decision because in.

A

10 years everything is going to be digitized, so big archives aren't going to be needed to store.

A

Actual paper anymore paper and books, I mean we're gonna, everybody will keep what they have, but going.

A

Forward more information is going to be on thumb drives or whatever going into the future, so it.

A

Really changes the outlook of all of these, but my point is finally, I told them that this committee.

A

Are the archivists for our outdoor archives and that's what all these cemeteries are? They are.

A

A solid touch, your headstone archive of the history of this community, so the lights sort.

A

Of went on, it's like oh yeah, you're right, so um they gave me a hard time and said: oh, do we need to.

A

Pick up some headstones and put them in the new york. I said no but again, my point being that we're.

A

Out there in another group of people in this city, so hopefully people will consider us all the time.

A

That's it for me, um sorry, I talked the whole time, but um if anybody has anything else, they want to.

A

Bring up or question about so next meeting before then I'll have a list out to you for all potential.

A

Grants that you guys can all go over if you think of anything else, you can add to it our.

A

Name is getting out there, which is really good. I've gotten a few emails from other cities around.

A

Asking about our cemetery committee and what we're doing and that sort of stuff so we're even giving.

A

Out locally in the area, um so I have a question yeah, where the warm weather coming. uh I think we.

B

Were supposed to start uh training for headstone repair and that kind of stuff, two things this week.

A

um I'm going to contact um committees that groups that said they were interested in.

A

Doing the 400 at cotton, which will start the first weekend in may and the other part, is.

A

We talked about when I say that with suzanne about getting the heads the cleaning going at the fourth.

A

400Th, because we're going to have to have people that are going to want to be committed to start.

A

A the straightening, so that's going to be the best place. To start I mean I can't other than michael. I.

A

Couldn't come up? Well maybe two other people, but with anybody that would commit to the training.

A

um So I think that that was the plan on that. So as soon as we start cleaning we'll approach.

A

People who we think might be interested and see so hopefully you know by the middle of.

A

May or the end of may, we will have a training session which corning would like to get some.

A

People from the city trained also not that they could help us this year, but going forward.

A

You know they they would be able to maintain it or know what to do and they may be able.

A

To again, if things slow down that's the kind of stuff we can do in the fall in.

A

In in the spring, if the ground's not frozen so so those were thank you for reminding me of that.

A

So I have two things: if you don't mind well, so the first thing is at the risk of embarrassing.

D

Our leader, um when sue and I met- and she started talking about all the meetings she goes to and all.

D

The people she talks to, I was dizzy. I mean she's we've, you know, we've accomplished a lot, but but.

D

She has been such an advocate for our group and I thought that should go in the minutes.

A

um And, um and also um do we want to look for more members, is there you know, like I'm sorry, my mind.

D

Just swirls and I thought well, you know, maybe we should go on the city of portsmouth website or.

D

The you know, the the you know the word seven news couple of newsletters, you know, but I didn't know.

D

If that was what the group thought, if you know, if we should look for more people or if we should.

D

Just leave it as it is and move forward with who's here or people may have forgotten. There's.

D

A cemetery committee, or they may have thought like: oh that, would be nice and then dismissed. It.

D

But maybe now they would consider it. So I was just wondering what you all thought: that's a wonderful.

F

Thought and I tend to agree with you: it's gotta be additional people some out and some outreach.

D

Yeah, what is that? What you know, what what is it? I belong to this portsmouth thing. You know it's.

D

Mostly like do you have a dog sitter for me or something like that, but you know I just wondered.

D

If maybe carrie put something on there once, I think she did uh forever and people came, but they.

D

Didn't come back yeah. Remember we had visitors yeah well! So that's where celeste came from yeah.

A

um The we should get celeste to get some pockets yeah.

A

um Not that there's anything wrong with our generation, but.

A

um Two things um this sign is going to be, the sign came in, and uh the dbw dpw found a um an eight.

A

Foot granite post, so that's coming along yeah and the other sign is being worked on right now.

A

Good news is: there's a new I.t person. His name is monty. I don't know what his last name is. He just.

A

Moved over from the music hall, bohana yep very energetic, very upbeat person, 's great yeah, I met.

A

Him the other night and um I introduced myself, I said because you're going to be hearing about the.

A

Cemetery committee, so this is sweet. You know who we are. He is they're redesigning the whole city.

A

Site and what he said to me, not in one fell swoop but they're, working with different departments.

A

The idea for the cemetery pages or is going to become more interactive.

A

So um that's in the works right now and I part of that discussion I heard was about when people go.

A

And visit the site if they want to join the committee or find out more that information.

A

Will be there if you'll be able to make donations and also that's where the database and the math.

A

Will go so that's in the works right now, so I was thinking more along the line of social.

D

Media, not not government. I was thinking about the power of social media celeste. What do you think.

B

Well, I've been, you know I was advocating for this when I first started, but the city won't.

C

Let us have a social media page, but I'd be the one that exists. Oh anybody can post anybody.

D

Can post anything on that so right? Well, what I was young official yeah, the unofficial city of.

D

Portsmouth right, I don't have to post something, but we're not allowed to other members. Couldn't.

D

Comment on it because that'll create me, it would be a meeting. Okay, suzanne right. Oh.

D

I'm glad you thought of that. Well, there must be something I I have to do it. Yes, yes, there is.

A

If we all stick to that and I could go on and post.

A

um And I will I'm going to go, we're gonna do uh cemetery cleaning, but you first have to contact.

A

Either one of us- because I don't want 50 people to show up- I don't have that- that much material for.

A

Any one time, but we could you you, can you can go to the unofficial and if you want to start.

A

Posting a picture of a headstone and do the history behind it. You can absolutely do that.

A

You just don't mention that you're posting it for for the committee for the committee.

A

um And you can say that you're a committee member, but you don't have to, but you can post.

A

Things about the cemetery as long as it doesn't state. This is coming from the cemetery committee.

A

So that was more clarified so um on any of them. You know if you're doing something in the cemetery.

A

And you want to post it, you can, or whatever I mean once we get rolling with it um and she.

A

Suzanne did say there might even be a potential for a social media page but linked to the city. So.

A

They're they're working on it because it's not just us, you know that if you look, if you go into.

B

The city web page and you go boards on commissions it'll, give you a list of all the awards that are.

D

Looking for people yeah and there's a whole bunch of boards, looking for people yeah, I know I can't.

D

Even get my relatives interested, I know, but you know what again I think a good place is when we.

A

Do the cleanups I mean we're only going to be doing headstrong cleanups, hopefully this summer.

A

So I've always cheered on people. If you're interested in you know talk it up so again, I will.

A

Continue this summer to try to get through. That means, because obviously people are interested in.

A

Cemeteries to come clean, the headstones devoting time I don't know, that's a different story so.

A

Anybody you can, let me just get a little bit clearer on this situation, with sort of trying to.

E

Recruit people on social media, whatever that means, um if, if you were a member of an organization that.

E

Might be interested in whose members members might be interested in joining the committee.

E

Or working with committee projects and you post as a an individual without saying necessarily or.

E

You could say that you remember the committee, but you don't say it's from any posting right.

E

uh Is that is that permissible yeah? You could say something along the lines hey. You know. I'm part of.

A

The cemetery puts a seminary committee and we're always doing projects and we're always doing that.

A

You know if you're interested, you know I am me or whatever yeah it just can't be directly linked.

A

That the cemetery is recruiting right right so for everybody to in the city. Well, not publicity, but.

A

It took a while for people to figure out what, because the skateboard committee they have a.

A

Facebook page and but it's only the person that is doing some fundraising and stuff like that.

A

And she doesn't mention that she's doing it with the committee. But because I asked.

A

About that, so as long as we're careful of how we word it, then then it's okay, so.

D

I'm glad there's attention at least being paid to it in some in some places, but I know sue's.

D

Right that there, although all the committees, are hurting for people yeah, it's it's we're so tied.

D

To the 400th anniversary, which also is not a city project, they have their own page right.

A

But everybody thinks it's a city committee right, but it's not right. So the reverse has happened so.

A

Which causes some problems for them, but do I gotta go all right thanks a lot see you later.

A

Because they they the the plagiarism thing, that's going on yeah. They automatically.

A

Went to the city thinking, it was the city that was involved and they were the ones.

A

That picked the design and everything, but it wasn't. It was the 400 mm-hmm.

A

Who the city supports, but has nothing to do with you mean the art, the art piece, yeah, okay, yeah.

A

So it's it, you can see how it's tricky. It goes both ways so motion to adjourn. Yes, [laughter].