City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Cemetery Committee, 2 Dec 2021

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From YouTube: 12.2.2021 Mayor's Blue Ribbon Cemetery Committee Meeting

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12.2.2021 Mayor's Blue Ribbon Cemetery Committee Meeting

A

um So I looked into what it would take to get on. You know some of the other cemeteries and um new.

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Hampshire will flip the bill if it's on a highway, which I'm not too sure about that. But if we.

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um If it's not on the highway and we want to pay for it, it's between 2000, 2300 um and all.

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You have to do is have a petition signed by 20 citizens of portsmouth and.

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They'll review it, its division of historical resources has like the last word on it, but dot.

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Is also involved, so I don't know if anybody's done that before have has anybody had any.

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Experience with that, were you talking about the blue sign and something some pictures.

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I guess how valuable our our cemeteries are, so um we may try to get point of graves or cotton or.

B

Something could you give me that reference again for the minutes? What's the um it's, the division.

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Of historical resources, right which program is the new um historical marker state of new hampshire's.

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Historical markers, so it's the ones that are all around that number throughout the state.

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Right, yeah right, I I can ask staff if, for any of the other historical markers that may be in.

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The area of someone else other than me, because I wouldn't normally have dealt with them I'll I'll.

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Put an email out to the couple of people. I know who might have had some prior experience with.

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Historical markers in different contexts and see if they have things um if they have any um history.

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Worry about it, um we just want to make sure everybody has a chance to.

A

Save you know one thing you've been working on, so do you want to start? Yes, I guess yes and no.

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I have been doing a lot of reading since I was here last last month about climate change.

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Issues that affect the I hope I gave you enough that could affect the historic cemeteries and.

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It is a multi-layered and complicated um topic and you could write an interpretable amount of.

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Information but I tried to synthesize what what I did.

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I I started off looking at the 2013 cemetery committee and um the assessment report is online.

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It's really very interesting and very well done with a lot of pictures and a lot of information.

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And could actually help us in service like a kind of template um they they uh did a needs assessment.

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They made a list of what they want to do, they got a budget um and they established a trust fund and.

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I had a hard time trying to follow what happened to the trust fund, um but there might be some money.

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Somewhere, it's just very fuzzy is the word d used when I was telling her about it and that's a good.

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Description, it was very hard to tell um they did give a report to the city council in 2015.

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But what was significant is that no environmental factors were mentioned at all during this period.

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So I thought that was important, so then I read in its entirety the um the report by the new.

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Hampshire coastal risks and hazard, commission, um and that was also extremely extensive um and.

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They looked at three things: storm surge, sea level, rise and and and extreme precipitation events.

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And um and again I I could have included charts and graphs and all kinds of stuff. I I didn't want.

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To burn those with that, except nothing in it is, is really um surprising, and um rather than go through.

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This whole thing: I will point out that there two of our cemeteries are mentioned. North cemetery.

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And this for lack of a better term, the strawberry bank area, um and uh they.

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They compartmentalized the their um assessment from 2016 to 2015 and then 2051 to 2100, and I.

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Can say that the strawberry bank area, which would include point of graves, is extremely vulnerable.

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um North north cemetery, a little less so they have that more toward the year. 2100.

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But again it's assessment, um one of the things that they wrote about quite a bit.

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Is natural barriers like eelgrass and things like that that just don't exist anymore and of.

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Course when they wrote the report in 2016, when you think about north cemetery, for example, there's no.

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Barriers, it's it's erosion is waiting to happen and you can look. I brought my binoculars and you.

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Can look over toward the parking garage you can see that there was eelgrass there, um but since.

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They wrote the record there's, you know, there's all kinds of development projects being proposed.

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And that is going to really um destroy uh the natural barrier, any natural barrier. That's left.

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And um in terms of south cemetery and all the you know, all of those between south and and.

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Sagamore the land slopes down completely to the water there's again very little natural barrier.

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There is an island in there that might prevent some things, especially during a storm surge, but.

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uh There's just nothing there at all to prevent um and prevent the cemetery from being.

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Especially again after 2050, which seems like a long way away, but it really isn't.

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um So what we do is is really predicated on a lot of this kind of information, and you know where.

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How can we get to this bank for our book and make a lasting effect? um So all of those things are.

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Going to be considered, um I also want to say that I spent a ridiculously inordinate amount of time.

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Trying to talk to natalie girolimo, who is the postal resource officer for new hampshire.

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Department of environmental services- and I guess it might have been the holiday she and I played.

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Telephone tag relentlessly and we've set up a time to talk next week, but I will go through.

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With that, because she may have some valuable things to say so, read that at your leisure and.

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And be mindful that I could have written a 25-page term paper, but I did not do that. That's excellent.

C

I just have a question, um I'm wondering if maybe since you're you know working on all this, you know.

C

All the new development they're proposing along there, if you can check into finding out if.

C

You know, because we have water lines, restrictions and shoreline restrictions and stuff like that. If.

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If anything is being mentioned in those proposals- okay, that might be a good thing because they may.

C

Be the ones that can put the bill or something like that, as opposed to sitting. Would you like.

B

Some additional information- oh yeah, do you already. I know you know a lot of things, but I did.

B

So any development that occurs along the shoreline there is a substantial permitting.

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Process that has to take place not only at the local level but with des. So what we're.

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Finding, for example, for example: oh that's what kennedy's trying to get in okay there we go.

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What we're finding is, um it is possible sometimes to work with the developers because they have some.

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Requirements, particularly with the state permits um just depends on where their construction is.

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And? What's being impacted so, for example, living shorelines or something that are being sometimes.

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Folded into projects, so restoration of the shoreline, so there's a one of the projects.

B

That, I think, is going forward because some of them are in litigation once they're in.

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Litigation, you know who knows, um but there's one towards the. uh I know I'm going to get the address.

B

Wrong but I know we've been working it's down past, like the 3s art space, so it's on that end.

B

um There's a combination project because the city has like an outfall there.

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And so there's a combination of funds that are going in to improve that outfall and to improve.

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The area there so there are opportunities. I think, if you want to talk about the shore.

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Plant, I think what we should really do is invite peter brits who's, our environmental planner who's.

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Been involved in all the resiliency planning and let's just plan to bring him in next year.

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And he can easily, I think, walk you through almost project by project along the shoreland.

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Particularly in the areas of the north mill pond, you know in the north cemetery. In addition, we.

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May want to bring peter rice back to that same piece, because he's working with prescott prop.

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uh Prescott park on the sea wall plans and remember: there's a big master plan down there.

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Part of which includes sea wall work and the later years, so my suggestion is: let's bring.

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In the people, who've been working on both the development side and the impacts to the.

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To the water bodies, um as well as peter, who has the long-term forecasting in terms of what we.

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Already have in the cip looking at these impacts and how we're planning. So I think, if we plan to.

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Bring in both of them, they can walk you through and hopefully answer a lot of your questions.

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On where things stand and where the opportunities might be or where we've already got, some planning.

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In place, so can we also find out what um wetland, rivers and wetlands have already.

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Been committed to be built upon or have been built upon, there are some lists that are already.

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Generated, I think, get peter the two peters in here and I think we'll just figure out what we've.

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Already gotten what we can easily it's not reported as much earlier than a lot of the.

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Developments right so right, then it seems, like there's, been a lot of wetland buffer permitting.

B

So that would, I think, impact and a lot of information was supplied to the city council.

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Over the last couple of months, so I think we have some of that and that's why we get the right.

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People here now that we know where you'd like to focus- and we could do that and get the ones.

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Who've actually been working on those projects and maybe once I'll walk through that excuse me.

B

Peter the first one was peter britz yeah peter brits he's our environmental planner.

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He's currently serving as the interim planning director since we have a vacancy there, that will.

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Be filled soon um because she'll be really happy to just have one job and not do.

C

Shorelines now I have a degree environment to policy, and that is part of.

C

Some of the things I've done and yeah, so it's it'll be a shoreline. That's one of them.

B

You know one of the options you know, and I know he's been kind of keeping his eye on some projects.

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And working with you know des on some funding opportunities and the other stakeholders as well.

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You know in the community so um and he worked on that resiliency plan. As I recall.

B

um So I think he would be important and, like I said I know, peter rice is.

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Got the the vision, so this piece from a public works perspective on some of.

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The sea wall work that we already have in the pipeline and even kind of forecasting.

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Longer out, as we look at climate change and its impacts here, so I think both of them would be.

B

Great and if they decide there's someone else, they want to bring to the conversation, I'm sure.

B

They will do that, but I would suggest let's get people here and really dive into some of this.

B

These questions yeah so because I only attended a lot of meetings online. I missed a lot of stuff, so.

A

Is the purpose I mean it's very important for all of us? What would be the purposes of this community.

B

Because what what we all did was, you know, take an aspect to and look at it and see.

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What you know what it would be, I think it's important to to.

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To know the status of the cemeteries, especially as they get near the water.

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And the lack of natural barriers and so forth and and as I said.

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Well, I I know that in in the in 2015 there was a report to the city council on from the.

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Earlier committee- and they thought they needed at that time- eight hundred thousand dollars to.

B

Do all the work that was necessary, so that's eight years ago, so you know how.

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Much it would cost um today and they didn't even consider environmental factors and so.

B

Yeah, it's just the cemeteries, and that was in 2015.. So but depending.

B

I think we have to know what the the variables are, because I mean how much money we raise and where.

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We're going to put it and where we're going to get the best bang for the buck, and I mean that's.

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What you have to think about, do you want to put the money in protecting the shoreline so that or.

B

Do you want to raise raise the you know, the um all those stones you know, tombstones are toppled yeah.

B

I don't think we know yet well yeah. I think you're right. Maybe it is a good time to go.

C

Over our project plan and then a lot of this, we really wanted everybody to um or offer everybody.

C

The opportunities because the last couple meetings we've had we've even had gas for.

C

Things been going on, so a lot of you haven't had a chance to have any real input, because an hour.

C

Doesn't you know, go too far we dean, I came up with this um flow chart or whatever you want to call it.

C

And we- um and this is long term- I mean we're going to have to prioritize.

C

You know what are we going to do? First, you know just clean up the cemeteries and raise.

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Headstones and then move on to larger projects like protecting.

C

Yeah, protecting the shoreline, those kinds of things, and you are right. I have I went down behind.

C

um North cemetery, in in the pond, when it was low tide and that wall was almost gone, yeah right, it.

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Is it's an issue because the wall is almost gone, but it falls into that pattern right so um so we.

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Came up with the various focuses and there could be more and some can be combined, but this is what.

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We came up with in no particular order. It's just the way we listed fundraising, signage, marketing.

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In the sense that you know we're going to have to sell this to the community and hopefully get.

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Donors and sponsors, and what have you there's a lot of things out there, um networking.

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um Joining there are a lot of associations. I've been looking into some of them.

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And I'll bring that information about you know are any of them really worth joining. There is a.

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Pretty good one in the state of new hampshire, but they don't meet that often, but anyway,.

C

uh Next one is documenting the graveyards not just um well to document them to make sure.

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We know who is in there a lot of the work's already been done by louise tallman and.

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And mr lock and things like that, but to work on it, because if you do the history.

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People have taken on the task back in the big turn of the century, and groups of people come along and.

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Just keep adding to the to the process so that we have a really good picture and in this day and age,.

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Everything, you know is online type thing so again that sort of falls into marketing as well.

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To get tourists here, but also you know, for historians, genealogists.

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Just you know anybody that wants to look up information so.

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Even a lot of small towns across the country have websites devoted just to their cemeteries.

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Iron fence repair again, that would probably be down the line, but it.

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Makes a really big difference if you just search different cemeteries that had restoration and.

C

It's like putting on paradigm and neurons sort of type necessary um lawn maintenance.

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Best practice um dee and I walked the cemeteries a couple times and a lot of the damage done to these.

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Headstones is because of how they've been you know from weed whackers lawn mowers.

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A lot of things so I mean, and that's going to be a sensitive area. Well, I shouldn't say sensitive, but.

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I mean it takes long a lot more time to mow to preserve your headstones than it will microconsist.

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To preserve your headstones than just going in and cleaning out the grass again, that would be further.

C

Down the line after everything's in here monument repair is a different category. um The same person.

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Or people that would come in and straighten or put your headstones back together.

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It's not the same necessarily the same person that would do the really tall monuments. It.

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Could be, but not necessarily um and under the monuments I should you should put tombs too.

C

Tombs is a whole different course too um yeah we had that under hardscape. Do we have another vault.

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Stream, oh sorry um and then the hardscape. It would be the vaults and the tombs and.

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Any of the walls that still needed repair, which may be on pleasant street, that wall in times.

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I mean it's sturdy now, but it doesn't have to be replaced at this point in time.

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So um and to just add to evis, we took this, um we did this without looking at the memorandum.

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From 2015 that that last committee did and all the recommendations on this last, that was made back in.

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2015 we hit without even looking at it, so it's sort of like you said we don't have to reinvent.

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An assessment because it's a lot of this is just logical or you know, looking at it head on.

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So we're on the same, we're sort of picking up from where this last group left off and if we can get.

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A permanent committee, then we can definitely make a a long, comprehensive plan that.

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We get the cemeteries in good, looking shape and then start working on other items and.

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Develop a plan that it becomes like they just have to go in, and spray headstones or.

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If it's damaged, they just have to damage uh fix one damaged thing at a time, so.

C

um Yeah, let me just say that um where would you put climate change, um I think well, we could make.

B

It part of long maintenance and best practices. Like I don't know. If we're going to be planting.

B

Eelgrass, you know for a barrier or something but or we could make it a separate section.

B

So, oddly enough, in what they're doing at prescott park, planting grasses.

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Along the wall is actually part of the plant um so which is which is interesting.

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um I I'm sorry, do you want to go ahead? I was just going to say generally when you're talking.

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About doing something new, you know that isn't already there, it doesn't fall under maintenance.

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And best practices, it's more like a capital investment, so whether it's a sea wall or other.

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Like planting new eelgrass or doing other kinds of pieces along the shoreline, we would generally.

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See that as kind of project related, so I would say either add another column in here or kind of.

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You know it kind of falls a bit our hardscape, but it it does feel a little bit different. So I I.

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Actually think you, I like the fact that you call it out, because I think that's a real.

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Issue for some of these cemeteries that you guys, you know that is going to have.

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To be wrestled with, as a community of how do we protect that infrastructure.

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So I I actually think it makes more sense to just call it out as a separate one.

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And not call it maintenance, because it may also relate to zoning variances. That may need to be.

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Camped down and a little bit more restricted than they've been since this report was done.

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So there's been a lot of building on wetland, buffers and being really close in a lot of areas.

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And whether or not that affects cemeteries would be something, but if it does affect cemeteries, then.

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It probably should be something that may need to be separate than what you're doing to repair.

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It as far as preventing any additional construction on wetland buffers and wetlands.

C

So did we have to go into it? No.

C

I just thought it. I thought it was a really nice. I agree. It was a nice.

C

So that's what we didn't want people to think like. Oh my gosh, this is so huge. We're never.

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Going to get it done, this is just sort of like a five-year range type of plan and that we're gonna.

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As we go along and we get more information this winter from the peters and um have some other.

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People come in and speak to us. Then we can decide where we're going to start and who and at the end.

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I forgot at the bottom of each column, we wrote who could possibly do these, whether it's all volunteer.

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Or whether it has to be a professional um and again it's no commitment to either one.

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A lot of people don't want to use volunteers, but every single article, if you go on whether it's a.

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National um cemeteries or other places everyone uses, as they quote, well-trained volunteers and.

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We're not talking about big projects to talk about the cleaning and those kinds of things so.

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That again down the line when we get to deciding what cemeteries we're going to work on what we're.

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Going to do whether we need to train volunteers- and we have someone come in and talk to us about.

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Training and what's the best use of volunteers, because I know barry heckler will be at the top.

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Of the list to come and help us with whatever we want to do so, um and the other thing too.

C

The cost answering your question: there is 80, roughly 80 000.

B

But there is money left over from prior appropriations for.

B

Cemetery related work. I think that was about the 775.

C

We talked about it um to put out discussion. We never anticipated that this, it's nice, that the.

C

Forty thousand dollars was there because it was designated to um restoration from the 2013.

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Assessment after that, um that's great that we have that, but it's gonna have to be an ongoing.

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um Marketing fundraising type thing, but we don't even expect the city in the long term.

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It's gonna pay for everything um going forward and and we're hoping we're just gonna lay the.

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Foundation for this committee and that going forward it will be a plan that other people.

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Behind us can follow and that we've made it easy and by getting corporate sponsors.

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In the tourism and all that kind of thing, so I just want everybody to think that.

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We're just finally going on our way that there's going to be a lot of fundraising.

C

And that type of thing, so I I have a question to you. So one of the things that I read was.

B

The mission statement of the um the committee- that's doing the 400 anniversary of portsmouth.

B

And- and they talk about focusing on the preservation of our historical landmarks.

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And blah blah blah blah, so you were talking about you know our committee almost being in perpetuity.

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And and not that they not that they should take on the cemeteries or something like that. But.

B

But I wonder, do you know anyone on the committee and can can we let them know.

B

What we're doing, and maybe they would help us- create a legacy project of some kind.

B

B

Yeah, thank you so much next time.

B

I've got your email, so I can send you guys. Thank you, okay, wonderful, okay, oh yeah, and it has gotten.

C

All the look, I'm so glad you brought that up, because it would be nice for us to. You know.

C

Join them in some sort and put an emphasis on what the community is going to do. Our students.

B

I wouldn't think they want to send an emissary to us, but I would like they would support us.

B

And make be vocal about what we're trying to do right when they, so they talk about.

B

Their focus, if you don't mind talking to them I'll talk to jackie dove's tail with them sure.

C

That's sort of okay, that's great yeah, I'm just giving an update before it gets late because.

A

I had a lot of information actually related to fundraising foundations. Oh it's great.

A

Money and funding is going to be key to drive. Probably a lot of these things right.

A

So you, susan, thanks for um in october susan sent me some information that.

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You had had, along with the city that came from uh senator massan's office, I think, is october 12th.

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As a new contact or a contact at the new hampshire.

A

Dhr, so I was finally able to catch up with the director ben wilson. Nice conversation give me some.

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Background, uh you know about the organization, so it's interesting when we talk about this committee.

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And the structure of going forward with the political changes and all that stuff he's like.

A

You're, probably the fourth person in the files that have contacted us about this, the same type.

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Of thing and nothing's ever progressed, and that's probably because of people who fall.

A

Off the committees disbanded, you know what what have you so um a lot of good news in this is that.

A

There's funds available that I think we can tap into pretty easily, but it requires a city.

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Focused follow-through and ownership, so um so I took a lot of information down, but I'd be very.

A

Keen sorry, I was late because I came back from the airport where I missed the beginning about.

A

The nature of the committee going forward because you know this is gonna- be disbanded.

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And you don't wanna jump into something and all of a sudden, it's like yeah, don't bother with that.

A

It's the fifth time this has happened so be curious.

A

To know about, like is this right: is this community gonna move forward and I'm willing to dive into.

A

What he's done? Well all the current counselors agree and if they voted in, I I would find it.

C

Even though I don't know yeah any of the new counselors that are coming in, not that I have to.

C

I don't see someone um I my perception is that they're going to do.

A

The second reading and the third reading, at the same time, the next meeting there isn't anybody.

B

That says, I don't want this. No one's saying it's network, so can I speak? Excuse me. Excuse me.

A

I've been I've been listening to all of you and I apologize. I have my own budget meeting tonight at.

A

Work so I apologize, I can't be there with you, but um on monday night there will be a public hearing.

A

On making this uh committee permanent so no longer be a blue ribbon committee, where it's excuse me.

A

Thought about or each time a mayor takes over, they have to decide whether they want it or not.

A

So um if people want to speak, that would be great for monday night.

A

Sorry I got a ticket away when I started talking um and then uh we are hoping suzanne's totally.

A

Right, we are hoping to have um first or second and third reading on monday night and final vote.

A

Now, mayor elect mcecron has said that anyone we would just move the same people to that committee.

A

So um so that's the way it looks so um to answer for the f for the moving forward on grants.

A

um For the first time, we'll have an official committee that is in our rules in our laws and.

A

um Is very stable, so I think that's a great time to move forward on raising funds through state.

A

And federal agencies yeah yeah thanks esther. That would be great because some of the information I.

A

Got back was yeah. This has come up you're familiar with that you have like a file. You know people are.

A

Called so anyway, that's good! So uh after talking with him about that and some of the history.

A

He put me in contact with the state, archaeologists and restoration program specialists.

A

So the good news is based upon our mission and our scope and is probably the.

A

The only one that falls into the grant approval status for a project would be the north cemetery.

A

That's the biggest one and I think, probably the most important of what he's done. This might be.

A

Anyway, the north cemetery, she feels qualified for.

A

Two grants, first, is you guys are familiar with the elk ship? Yes, yes, new, hampshire, land and community.

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Heritage investment program, so that's matching grants. So one of the things we'd be interested in.

A

Is if we had 80 000 um if that money was donated or raised in the past, that could qualify for a.

A

Matching grant so it was 80 or 90 000.. The 5 000 is in the trust. I would assume that thousands.

A

So obviously 2021 is closed. The money is out. They typically have about.

A

3.7 million dollars a year um in l-chip um and it's always used, um but timing is right. So 2022.

A

Grants applications will be announced very shortly, probably in early january um and.

A

Then we would have to, as a committee put forth an application, a project plan. You know the mission.

A

Proving that one this is backed by the city, it's a publicly owned piece of land, and it's.

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Historically, significant so we're on the historic uh registered national register. So that's the.

A

L-Chip and they get their money, it comes from six dollars for every loose plate that they sell, plus.

A

Recording fees there's like 25 of every reporting fee that comes from the county registers that.

A

Goes to fund this, so the new batch of funds. So that's the l chip, the second one and she said.

A

It's only ten thousand, it's capped at ten thousand dollars, but it would be relatively.

A

Easier to attain and that's a loose plate grant and those are grants up to ten thousand.

A

Dollars they're awarded directly through the new hampshire division of historical resources and.

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Eureka uh basically oversees that um and there's really only two things that qualify. That's the.

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Historic property or land that's owned by a town city or not non-profit indoor, cemetery, quality.

A

Qualifies it's probably the only one that qualifies based upon that unless point of.

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Graves is on the new hampshire state registry of historic places. It's not on the national.

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Registry because we looked um but if it's on the new hampshire state register, then point of.

A

Raise might qualify for ten thousand separately because they'll be treated as separate projects.

A

Those grants um and applications uh will come up in in february um that one would require a city.

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Sponsor and then someone on the committee who is leading to present to the director and their team.

A

To get approval um but both of those look very, very viable and look like we could tap into those.

A

Pretty soon, so, that's why I kind of asked the question: we've never gotten to that next step.

A

In the past, because it has been a permanent committee and it's always just died, there.

B

Yeah and the city is familiar: we've used both uh moose plate, one and we've used l-chip before.

B

So let me know how to go through the process. Some some people do. I don't I I I you know. Others have.

B

I just don't think either are you? uh Are you a grant writer? I have been known to write grants so.

B

It may be that it would be useful to.

B

Sort of caucus, the couple of you who are most kind of want to be point on that one piece: yeah and.

B

I'll see if I can figure out who, from city staff because of turnover, I'm not sure who might be.

B

You know doing this, but at least we can give some resources. So a part of the life.

A

I'm more than happy yeah, more than happy to continue to take the lead on it and.

A

You know roll my sleeves and really dive into it. Yeah and, like I did before you arrived. I think.

B

What we talked about was just um when this becomes a permanent committee under the ordinance, and I.

B

Agree with council kennedy, I'm expecting all of this to go forward. I think there's general support.

B

For a permanent committee, um just if you go online to the city of clerk's webpage, you'll see.

B

An application form to serve on a committee so just go ahead. Click on that application.

B

Form fill it in for the new enough. No, but when, when it passes, which I anticipate.

B

um But you should feel free and come and speak with public hearing. um But then after that's.

B

In place just go ahead and fill out that form so that we can get you applied for that committee and.

A

That's monday, the 10th next week, that is the sixth council meeting yep yep thanks thanks.

C

In in your research, did you find, did you have a chance to look up about getting.

C

um All the cemeteries on the new hampshire register yeah, so that I mean that's a process.

A

Can be done um require, I don't know if we have a resident historian, um but they'll have to be some.

A

Type of um presentation on each as to why it's right, what's significant about it and then that.

A

Gets submitted to the new hampshire department of historical resources and you have to submit.

A

One as a process and that's all online, it is the directions for um contacting people online with.

A

The process I haven't really gone too far other than just looking at these grants, as it relates to.

A

Like the north cemetery is like ready to go like you can do it today right, I think it's sorry.

C

Yeah um sherry, would you be interested in working on something like that sure.

C

Are you sure uh you don't have to if there's somebody else, but um because.

C

I think that's important. I found two federal grants that the deadlines were too quick, but.

C

They have to, it doesn't have to be the national register. It has to be either a state registry.

C

One works yeah right it can. It can become new registry for the nationals. So if we can get.

C

All well, we don't need to worry about. Is it's just north and not cotton? I mean.

C

To see how we go about it and and try to do it, because it opens a lot of doors, and I I.

C

Sort of believe that point of graves, according to everything, I've read I'd, love to see if he.

A

Was on new hampshire, but I couldn't find it. No, it's not, but it's claimed by several.

C

uh Articles I've written to be the oldest cemetery in the state, so it should be so right. It's going.

C

Through the correction right so and if you, if it gets to be too much or whatever just contact.

C

Maybe a couple people can work on it. So, um but I I think that opens a lot of doors, because there.

C

Are a few federal ones out there and just keep in mind as you put that you know if you are going to.

B

Look through and see, you know what work needs to be done to apply for that status. um You are free.

B

To loop me back in because you will undoubtedly at some point because it's city property need a.

B

City's signature on any applications um so just feel free to reach out keep us.

B

Keep me posted as your point person um knit crack now actually and planning. He does a lot of that.

B

You know manages the htc stuff and I know he's familiar obviously with a number of the.

B

Requirements- and so he may have some experience um with this, and so if you just kind of keep me.

B

Posted as you kind of look at it and figure out, I may be able to reach out to nick.

B

And see if he might help you know, figure out some resources or help us move through the process.

A

The other thing I want to mention too.

A

um Potentially exploring that I said well, you know we can talk about that and that to me yeah.

A

Yeah, that's the sentence.

B

uh About that, but uh we're headed into winter- and I want to make sure you guys get.

B

Yeah yeah five minutes left.

C

Carrie, do you want to um just update us.

C

This is going to be a long term project, so all right. Well one thing that was interesting.

A

C

What's funny and I'll go quickly, is the gentleman that we walked the cemeteries with.

C

Yesterday he mentioned her. She lived right next to the.

C

uh Union cemetery- um and she had you- know since passed away.

C

But it was her, she was on the committee and she it was a software or a website that was her business.

C

So she put it up and someone else's life karen had told us about it. um Well so I mean they've.

A

Raised a lot of questions, one is: why would a committee not have a more official website.

A

I I think, that's down the line as far as what we want to do going forward um right for a current.

C

Committee and for especially for fundraising and marketing and all that sort of stuff through.

C

You know, like I'd like to put up banners in the areas that you know we're working on those kinds.

C

Of things, so I think that will probably fall under that um it was called portsmouthgrades.org.

A

A

And it just kind of you know it's not tons of stuff in it, but it was kind of interesting.

A

And it suggested that there were some people that were.

C

A website is a good way of organizing information.

A

um Yeah, the city does have a page right right, but it's under the library right and.

A

That's fantastic because I've been we've been hearing about it. A lot.

C

So now that we found it- and also I I think in this process going forward, at least for me when I'm.

C

Just playing I'm not playing around searching and going here and there I'm always stumbling against.

C

On something that I thought I knew, but I didn't know so, the more input we get I mean. I know we.

C

Can't always know that it's totally verified, but it's a point to start at that. You know we could.

C

Verify things so yeah. The information that she's put together is one more piece of of the puzzle, so.

C

um Yeah we're wrapping up yeah, so anything.

C

So if they vote on a new one next monday.

C

We don't have to wait, we can just go ahead and have our meeting in january right.

C

You recommend hold on I'm thinking, I'm thinking about the.

B

So the dates council is getting scorned in the new city council's getting sworn in january 3rd.

B

Oh, my god, they generally do not do much business during that meeting, however, they are planning.

B

To do some because their regular business isn't until later. um Let me um let me noodle this one.

B

Over and figure out, when would you like to hold your next meeting and let me see if there's a way.

B

To um assess the little time the first week of each month, yeah the first thursday is january.

A

6Th, so I don't know if that's enough time.

B

Yeah that could be tricky, but why don't you do this? Why don't you pencil pencil in that meeting.

B

And let me see if there's a way to um to figure out how to manage that gap between the fact that.

B

The new city council doesn't actually get sworn in and typically the way appointments work is you're.

B

Put on for consideration and then the next meeting you're voted on so usually there's a period of.

C

Time now, because this is an existing mayor's blue ribbon committee- I'm almost wondering if maybe.

B

The mayor creates a mayor's blue ribbon committee and appoints all of you on january 3rd.

B

Until the formal committee can get fully established, so let me give some thought as.

B

To whether there might be a way to um help this continue on with the energy and momentum that.

B

It has so let me put on my my thinking path and run it by um the other powers that be.

B

And just so you know so I, the city council, meeting agenda package should be up online tomorrow.

B

Morning and so what you want um so in the packets, you will find there's this little ordinance, which.

B

Is the new cemetery permanent cemetery committee ordinance and it says the cemetery commission.

B

Cemetery committee shall consist of not less than 12 or more than 18, regular members. The.

B

Members shall be appointed by the mayor subject to the approval of the city council for a term.

B

Of two years, co-terminus with the city council term, so that's kind of your your key in terms of.

B

Membership, uh which is why, as it says, a point you know put forward by the mayor and then.

B

Approved by the city council, which is why it's normally a two-step process to be appointed.

B

But let me see if I can reach out and I guess and see if I can find a way to help it help you guys.

B

Keep this momentum going and knowing that you would want to meet on january 6th. So let me let.

B

Me see so, since we had nine people here and you need 12 as a minimum. Does that include any city.

B

Staff like from etw or the library or parts of the city that have jurisdiction some of the aspects.

B

B

You know that is a good question. I think that could be permitted. um It may also be.

B

That the new mayor would suggest he could just put on two city councillors. You know.

B

To fill out the membership- and I think you had close to third- you had 12 or 13 of you.

B

Under the last I know, cynthia, I think, sent the two co-chairs. The latest list of numbers.

C

Seven: eight nine ten, eleven twelve.

B

So yeah so you'll be okay. I'm terminated uh quick, um michael, was kind enough to point out. I had a typo.

C

On in your little packet that passed out the d2, I guess I was hopeful, it was only a 178 dollars for.

C

55 gallons, it's 1787. for a 55 gallon barrel of d2.

C

And I just this is this is what I would have spoken about. It's just more information for.

C

Everybody to digest and put away um you know for future when we start making decisions about.

C

That's so, thank you, michael very much. Yes, thank you. If you have an extra coffee I'll, take it. Oh.

B