City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Cemetery Committee, 7 Apr 2022

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From YouTube: 4.7.2022 Cemetery Committee

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4.7.2022 Cemetery Committee

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All right, so I put a packet in front of everyone. um You has the agenda.

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For today, so we're calling the meeting to order right now and uh then we'd like to do a roll call.

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So my goal: will you michael griffin, present um didi forte sue.

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uh Co-Chair don morgeson sue, polidora pete, eva boyce,.

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Gary, oh, I'm sorry, sorry, yeah you're, not uh cora holowell parks and greenery farming.

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For the city of portsmouth, harry rubenstein, great suzanne, woodland, the deputy city manager.

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Also, we have another committee member, sorry all right, it doesn't look like we have anybody on zoom.

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Right now, but um how are you doing all right? Good is chris, and this is chris- everyone, hello, everyone.

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um But I do expect sue steri to join at some point she's in she's remote right now.

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So that's roll call, so uh we have one two three, four, five, six seven.

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Members of the committee right yes, so number three is uh approval of the minutes and notes and.

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They're, all in your packet.

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So if you need some time to look it over.

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Be fine but uh yeah, so we we have four months of minutes because we haven't had a quorum um for.

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A different number of reasons, but uh anybody on zoom is not considered like part of the quorum. So.

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My bad I've been gone for two months, so um were you by the way, anyway, um uh south carolina yeah.

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Kiwa near charleston, that's where my son goes to college. Really, the college of.

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Charleston yeah, I love that. Yes, it's probably right right near you when you're down there.

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Oh yeah we've parked anyway not to digress yeah. Sorry, if you'd like you can make it, someone can.

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Make a single motion to approve the minutes and just list them off if that's easier, if there is.

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No one I'll make a motion to approve. Second, thank you. So much just call it all. In favor.

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So um I number four on the agenda is uh the quorum situation, which I just.

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Referred to because uh for the last couple months, and um we currently have nine members.

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Of the committee and we were approved for 12 between 12 and 18., eleven and eighteen, I.

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Think there are so many yeah, so we do want new members, and I do know that someone did apply.

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Whose name is escaping me? They were on the agenda. The last city council agenda on monday for.

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Consideration so it sounds like assuming. There are no issues that come. The next city council meeting.

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You will have one additional member. Okay, I apologize. I'm blanking on the name.

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Great so yeah I mean we have a dedicated group of committee members right now and.

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Just looking for more dedicated people to join, and that would be great if that goes through and.

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Assuming that goes through and yeah, so if anybody knows anybody else, that's.

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Interested in joining, please do carrie. Thank you for putting that on facebook too.

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Yeah good idea, yeah. We appreciate that. um So next item is the review of the north and.

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Union cemetery headstone cleaning project which actually there's some notes on that on the very.

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Last page of your packet, so I don't know suzanne. If you want to give you the update and and corn.

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Is is here in part, because I'm coordinating with public works, department um and uh corn was part.

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Of a meeting we had earlier this week to to work on those coordination pieces. um So if you want.

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With the chair's permission, I'll just walk through, what's in the packet, perfect, okay, um so the first.

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Document is sort of my attempted summary of the headstone cleaning project. I took the.

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Notes that were developed through our conversations here um and then I met with the coat.

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With one of the co-chairs, susan sterry, probably two weeks ago, when we refined this document,.

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And I think it we were trying to keep it to a page, to make it just very easy to distribute to post.

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And I would take your feedback in terms of whether there are any other issues with this. I reviewed.

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This with public works earlier this week to make sure that public works was happy with it.

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I will reach out to new hampshire division of historic resources, just to get their blessing. That.

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They are indeed really good with this on the steps for cleaning yes, yeah yeah, because we do need it.

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Before it, it would be appropriate to have it just in case someone changes their mind later.

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About the product or something so we always um particularly here in portsmouth, we try to be.

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Sensitive having learned over time is that the d2 solution you want to make sure that they are they.

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Are comfortable with with the whole project, so I'm going to give them this sheet and just say.

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This is what we understand we can do. Are you comfortable with that that we're not going.

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To cause any damage to any historic, you know markers, so that's great so that hopefully I.

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Was hoping to do that before we met uh this week, but uh the conditions didn't quite come together.

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But hopefully before you have to do your presentation before city council.

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um We'll have that answer just to make sure we're all good to go. You know this is great, because I.

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Saw this whenever it came from the city, you know I was just online like I'm like okay, I can put stuff.

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Down here, but does somebody gotta like stamp it like the world according to me, is it maybe.

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From the internet right, it's like this guy, I know, has done cleaning, but somebody was just going to.

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Certify it so so that's why we're making sure that we have all approvals and that we could possibly.

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Need so assuming we get full green light from the new hampshire division of historic resources.

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um Corons has offered to kind of make sure we get the supplies needed. Public works will take care of.

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um Making that purchase so that we can, you know properly track it he'll get it.

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Stored away safely, until the day of the event- and I gave him the information that you had provided.

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That it looked like the uh place in the business in rochester might have the cheapest uh available.

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So yeah you can pick it up too yeah yeah, so he will take care of that um and maybe it would be a.

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Good opportunity, maybe corn, if you don't mind just describing for the committee like.

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What you do for the city of portsmouth so that they get their introductions.

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I've been with the city about 10 years. I started out as the city arborist um then slowly kind.

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Of worked my way up to, they call me the parks and greenery foreman now, so I oversee all the.

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Green spaces prescott park, um I still help oversee trees um and so just involved with.

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That plus many other things that go on at the highway department. So that's you know.

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Generally speaking, I'm just organizing all the crews that do that work. That's awesome, yeah.

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Yeah, I know you took care of a couple of trees that needed to be cabled at the north cemetery.

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We met there one I met you there yeah you, you do tours right, yep, yeah, yeah, we've met before I.

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Was working in there yeah climbing some trees? So uh so that's that's generally. What I do and um I.

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Know, michael from the trees and greenery committee, I used to serve down that for a while and yeah and.

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So I'm looking forward to working with you all to uh help improve the cemeteries. Oh thank you.

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And corin's going to work with his staff to uh get somewhere from public works to help coordinate the.

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Day of the event, I'll have a staff member there with a water tank um to fill buckets um that.

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Person will bring all your supplies to d2 gloves kneeling pads rags, so they'll be able to just.

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Sort of help you move forward with the project, I think what buckets you can bring to the truck will.

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Be filled and then bring them back to your work and that truck will be parked out on the street.

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Great, does it have a hose or is it a spigot type truck? uh It does have a hose, so we can probably.

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Run the hose, I think, we've got about 150 feet on that truck, so we can run that out into the.

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Cemetery too, that's great yeah, okay, awesome and then also importantly, uh corin suggested during.

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The meeting we had earlier this week- oh well, maybe we should talk to parking and reserve some parking.

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Spaces along maplewood avenue so now I'm like. Oh these people are going to be parking there.

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We'll post that whole side from where you enter into the salt piles, I never remember the name.

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Of that road, but the little dirt road there yeah it goes on the tracks. Yeah yeah, we'll post right.

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Down to the end of the cemetery, so that nobody has to, you know worry about getting close and I think.

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We're planning on 20 people so enough materials for 20 folks buckets. I picked. I picked a number.

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That would be good. I was parked down that road. One day when I was in the cemetery yeah and there.

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Was this big truck coming up and I was kind of in the way so this guy over the block, I'm like.

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Oh, I did not know that you guys were oh yeah. It's a busy day actually said all right, no problem, but.

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I didn't anticipate that I would be blocking. Is that there's enough room.

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You know, but apparently it's a very active driveway. It is and what's that building that's.

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Like kind of falling apart, that's back there isn't that part of pan am is that their building.

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I thought that was part of mahoney's storage yard. Okay, it's what it's not the city's property.

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Yes, it's not ours, it's really kind of decrepit anyway. Thank you.

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So we'll have coordination. The day of the event we have susan steri gave me, may 14th and then.

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We picked a rain date so that you could kind of message all in one fashion. um We've been working.

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And you'll hear more when it comes to the website portion of your agenda, some of your committee.

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Members have been working with stephanie secord, a public information officer and she's also going to.

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Coordinate to help push out notice of this event. We talked about doing a little signage with a qr.

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Code on it, so people could, you know open it up on their phone and donate to the trust. um So we put.

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Some of those pieces in place and yeah and then uh the thought is again assuming I get a green light.

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From the division of historic resources that um so that, when you do your presentation on april, 10th.

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April 18th, thank you monday night yeah, yep april 18th. um You can focus right in on this project.

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In addition, I'm putting as an action item under the city, manager's action items, authorization.

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For up to 2 500 to come out of the historic cemeteries, trust for the payment of these supplies,.

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And what I'm hoping is you know we could take? You know. We've got that other line item that you've.

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Heard about you know for for cemeteries, but my thought is by putting something on the agenda and.

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Referencing and talking about the historic trust it might help build up that momentum for people to.

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Think about donating there, so it may seem like a a big exercise for a small amount of dollars for.

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This project, but I thought there was value in talking about the fact that this trust exists.

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For these types of projects, and it it kind of feels tangible, you know if you're.

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Out on the field you know hey, this is how much it cost us. Could you donate? You know.

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20 bucks or 50 bucks for the next you know set of supplies for the next. You know.

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Headstone cleaning project, so that's what I was thinking about is to try and get that.

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Conversation going that understanding that there's a place to put your money where you can feel like.

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It it's dedicated right to the cemeteries um and it's a website too, like a donate button.

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Yep and you'll hear more about that when the the crew here that's been working with.

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Stephanie they'll talk about their their work on the website, so that's yeah. So like the uh money.

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For these supplies, yes, just so, I was clear to the cemetery, historic trust fund right.

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That the one that has the 80 000 approximately no, this is the small one. This is the trust that.

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Has about 50, I have the number somewhere like 56 or 5700 in it. It's very small, but.

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That's why I, in some ways wanted to get it out there that this trust needs to be replenished.

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Right so that we can do projects like this, because it's a great resource for this type of project.

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um And then there are other accounts that are holding capital monies for when we actually.

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Have to do up a wall right for when we're doing a wall or a bigger project like that.

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So that's why I thought this is. This is good um to talk about this and and try and generate that that.

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Interest that 5700, then, would be donations that have been uh historically received by the city.

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From citizens right, yep and then so that money, so we don't have to do anything. The committee doesn't.

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Have to do anything with no handling money, or it's all good, correct, correct we're trying to make that.

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Take that piece out of your hands and make sure that we would make the auditors happy by following.

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All the processes and procedures that we need to do for you to put on our credit card and send it.

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For reimbursement to the city right: well, that's that's! Why we're going to use our our process.

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Our card to go, get it yeah city council still needs to approve it. um We are, we are going to.

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Purchase the supplies with, we have city credit cards for these kind of small purchases and.

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Then get reimbursement from the trust, okay and the trustees of trust funds. Ultimately,.

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Perfect, so it's a multi-stepped process. The city council approves the city manager, writes.

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The letter or I'll write the letter to the trustees of trust funds supply the receipts.

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And then it goes to the trustees of trust funds for final approval.

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This is awesome, so the other thing I did and we'll post up on the website once we're really ready to.

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Launch the project I did do already the volunteer liability, you know form so did the lawyer work.

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And it's even set up for you know in case you get someone who's underage. It's already set up to.

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Get the kids involved so do we have a source of volunteers.

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Not yet that's that's the point of all the you know getting before the city council.

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Getting it in the you know the portsmouth facebook page and you know you're welcome to repost you.

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Know from our stuff yeah, um so I expect you will have some volunteers yeah. The volunteer forum is.

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On the website, though, right uh not yet I figure I launch it all together. Okay, has it been approved.

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For distribution, this form, it is by me, okay, I'm just saying so. If I was talking to a group of.

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People, you know some type of association, I could say, hey, feel free to share it sure sure yeah.

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That's exciting because may 14th is right around the corner five weeks away right saturday.

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Saturday, yep, what's that so just wanted to know what the other week it was a saturday and then.

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um I just want to I'm cognizant um because I know uh corn has an obligation tonight. If you.

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Don't mind he and I were talking about some of the landscaping. If you will issues I know there was a.

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Conversation that came up about some possible tree either tree trimming or bush trimming.

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Yeah I had an issue regarding the um the way the mowing is done. I have a picture. I.

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Need to get it out of my cell phone, we could also use some. I don't think I've.

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Seen a rake in a lot in a long time of leaves and debris yeah. Let me see.

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Sticks yeah. We go through there yeah more regular than you think that just just goes yeah. Okay, yeah.

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Especially with the winds I didn't know, I didn't know your department existed until today.

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Yeah- and I I know when you're talking about historic cemeteries, some of the plants in there.

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May be actually from very special plants because they were planted. You know years.

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And years and years ago and you'd want to be careful not to take them down and remove them.

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But then there are also invasive species that have crept in that.

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Probably could use some attention and if the committee thought it would be helpful at any point.

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I know corn and I talked about a member of his staff, who might be able to walk around with.

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You know one or two of you who are interested to kind of look at some. You know.

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Other projects that could be done either by corn staff. You know as time permits or.

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As another volunteer activity depending on you know what you see so just know that.

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Part of the reason corn is here, is to help be that resource and find the resources to to learn more.

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About what's out there yeah now this picture here, it just shows that when the the grass is being cut.

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Clippings of that are are just sticking to the headstones, so if we clean them.

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And you mod along yeah, it's like it's tricky michael knows, they're very closely. Spaced.

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But we'll definitely do our best, so I don't know what would be the alternative in using a machine.

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That doesn't necessarily more like a vacuum things the clippings off, rather than splatter them.

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So the whole cemetery is done by hand because you can't put a machine in there, so we basically.

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Do the entire cemetery with line trimmers or weed whackers, and so they tend to spray. So we have the.

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Guards on them and if the grass is wet that day that will tend to want to stick to the stones. I.

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I will try to do better and have the crews blow them off after um it is a very large space. It.

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Takes us about five hours with five people four to five hours, to do that entire place.

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And we're on a pretty tight schedule, so I'll definitely work on doing better. As far as.

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Clearing off the headstones afterwards, you know, maybe what I can do is have one person just going.

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Around with a blower uh once they've done most of the cemetery, and just you know, try to blow them.

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Off as best we can it's tough, because it's very tight and so you're weed whacking here and then.

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We, the weed whackers, tend to spray left and right, but we'll certainly do better. Too. Can you just put.

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Gravel or something throughout the whole thing, you know, you know they they used to spray. um So we'll.

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Get you a little whisk brewing. You can follow them. They used to put a growth inhibitor on the grass.

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I've gotten away from that. I don't really like spraying things so.

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Yeah, um but we can definitely try to do better for sure all right, because that one's pretty obvious.

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Because I went one day to locate this is lyman spalling yeah. No, I know I've seen it.

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And I was like the next day I come back and or the following week and I'm seeing all this clippings.

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What happened yeah, so we, you should probably think about timing. I guess when we do the headstone.

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Cleaning, if we oh good thing just work together, we probably won't even be mowing until may. If I.

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Had to guess I mean, depending on what april brings, but I wouldn't worry about it for this particular.

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Headstone cleaning, but other cleanings for sure will want to probably pre-mow prior to that. So.

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You'll be there after, if I had may 14th and later back half of the month, I would say so: okay yeah.

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Yeah, well I'm thinking this is april. Yeah yeah, it's maybe we're already april wow yeah um yeah.

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That's why there could be a chance. The grass tends to grow a little slower over in that.

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Area than others, depending on the year the last summer, I was able to mow it every other week.

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It buys me time to do other things, but yeah. If I think we need to mow we'll, definitely get it done.

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Before we clean them that way, if there's any debris on them,.

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That can get cleaned off. Okay sounds great. Thank you yeah. I appreciate that another thing that I.

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Wanted to ask you about because I know that the council had on their agenda last last monday.

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About the the um the cemetery, the listing listening, so any feedback from that did.

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They accept it or whatever they did. Yes, they approved it, and so I'm going to be writing.

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To the new hampshire division of historical resources, indicating that the city concurs okay,.

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So that should be going forward and I'm hoping to make the same call at the same time like hey.

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Just checking here's the project plan, I figured I'd kind of combine the two. At the same time,.

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Let me just ask, like I said I know at some point: corn needs to to leave because he has an.

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Obligation this evening um are there any other questions? Well. Well, we've got him um related.

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To some of that coordination issues on a saturday, do you is our goal and objective to do the entire.

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Cemetery in one outing: well, that's that's up to how many volunteers you get so we've got an eight.

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To noon time frame yeah, this is like a this is like a a demo. Almost it's like a first step, yeah.

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Yeah, it's kind of like you, know, a demonstration type. You know I would use this as kind of more.

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Of a learning train the trainer, how long does it take? How long does it take how many people like.

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You can do some measurements like 12. You know cubic feet how much that takes how much cleaner.

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We'll learn a lot and I noticed in the thing it said the union cemetery too, but yeah. I don't think.

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That that's available you're thinking, it's okay, it's just going to be the north just going to be.

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The north I can edit that document yeah just north just so it's cleaner with a suit to start michael.

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Have you used d2 before you have? Is it kind of gloves? I mean like we're talking like a kitchen.

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Glove or more of a just, a regular, nitrile yeah, a latex glove would be sufficient. It's pretty it's.

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Really mild iteration yeah, it's totally neutral, there's no, a specific stuff safety, glasses, okay,.

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Corn, if we want to find you if we have a question: where do we, how can we contact you.

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We could I'm right on the city website if you go to um departments and you look under parks and.

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Greenery, okay, great contact information- wonderful! Thank you! Yeah! That's cosmetic quorum is just.

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From the cemetery, unlike the fence, so is the fence. That's falling down. Is that owned by.

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The city, or is that is that owned by the butter back there, along with the trees that are all.

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I think that's being looked into. I think it's been an area of question for a little bit, so I.

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Think, that's that's and that's a good thing that that's coming up now. Yeah! um That's so I think.

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That's uh in process in progress, yeah, okay! So it's an open item. So we're not sure if it's owned by.

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The city or right it's on the bus, it's the metal fence. It runs parallel to the train tracks going.

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South and west there's that and then there's the one along the back yeah right. That's not.

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Really sure we're not quite sure who owns it yet yeah, right, yeah and then all the trees and stuff.

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Which cause you grief because they all grow into the cemetery right and drop branches and cracks. I.

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Know we've pruned both sides about. I think. A year ago we went up. Last year we went up the left side.

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And then I think, the year prior to that, the crew went down the back and they've done every tree.

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In the cemetery in the last year and a half, I think for deadwood, I'm in any hazards, yeah.

B

Wow and I think one of the challenges that we will have whenever we want to do any.

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If we want to do any more substantive work, you know whether it's with the fences.

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Or if we're dealing with plant materials, we are within that shoreland area, and so there are lots.

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Of limitations in terms of what we can and can't do so, that's why it's a coordination piece, yeah.

D

It's the shoreline protection act and we have to be careful. We can pretty much cut invasives.

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But anything native really that just as a general rule of thumb yeah, so we can. You know, look at that.

D

Area we've got a wetland scientists on staff that we can take down there and do a walk and.

D

Identify if we have invasives those can absolutely be cut out by hand and removed and that that often.

D

It's unbelievable the difference you're just like wow. This looks like a brand new place. We've done.

D

It we've done it over off of uh if you're familiar with pierce island pierce island parking lot. So.

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All that entire shoreline, all the way up around the uh the point back to the outdoor pool and over.

D

On the other side, we've done that for the last three or four years every year we cut out the.

D

Invasives, so it takes about five years or so six years and those root systems just don't produce.

D

Any more so if you keep cutting back the material, but it's a lot of work, but once you've done it.

D

You can pretty much kill the root systems of the invasives, but explain why we plant, along that. We.

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Really haven't had to because we we left all the native species and they're actually reproducing.

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Quite nicely, so we didn't have to do any planting in there. We looked at it our first year and then.

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With earl's uh guidance, we sort of decided to leave it and it's doing really well.

C

That's good because yeah you can need the seagrass to kind of yeah.

C

Stay there and yeah, it's everything it's like you know. It's the whole. The whole.

D

Ecosystem, that's there needs to sort of get those invasives out and kind of do its thing again.

C

Well, thank you yeah. Thank that information, so yeah, the next corn sure is like crazy right now.

D

Boy yeah we've got 100 100 barrier trees going on the city right now, yeah.

D

It's all over, oh gosh, yeah, it's fun! It's a lot of fun. It's the best time of year, yeah cool.

C

Where are they going yeah, so they go all over um sites uh where trees have been removed and.

D

Also, just areas that need to be reforested so streets that maybe have green strips that don't.

D

Have any trees in them for whatever reason you know uh requests so if a resident says I'd really.

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Like a tree out in front of our house in the city green strip and there's a spot we'll pull in there.

D

So it sort of generates the list sort of self generates throughout the year with.

D

Through the trees and greenery committee and requests we get and it just it's, we could.

D

Probably plant 500 if we have the time but look at the trees, go them again. What's that what kind of.

D

Trees are they well they're they're, a variety I think, there's 19 different species, maybe 20.

D

That that uh are arborist charles chuck, a lot of people know, has chosen so we're trying to.

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Make sure we have a diverse urban forest. So if you looked at the city and all of its properties as a.

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Forest, so if you just like zoom out right, it's not just a street or one tree, it's an entire actual.

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Ecosystem, we want to make sure we have a variety of species there present. So we've got. You know.

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Climate change, we've got salt air, we've got droughts, so there's a lot of factors. There.

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That go into deciding so we're planting a lot of species that are tolerant to all.

D

Those those conditions instead of you know always planting a red maple or always planting a red oak.

D

Try to like having all of those elm trees that we had way back and they had that disease. That.

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Killed all of them yep, so, instead of having one species all down the street, now we have.

D

Maybe 10 12 different, so exactly that's good yeah, that's cool! Well! Thank you.

B

Any other questions for corn. No, that's great.

C

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome to stay.

D

Thanks for having me and I'll uh look forward to seeing you again, thank you. Thank you.

B

Soon, thank you. Thank you. So much.

C

All right, so, the next item is um the web page update, which I mean all web pages.

C

Are kind of a work in progress, you know we'll continue to build on it, but we have.

C

A um a page that's under boards and commissions and um there's a link to or you can look it up.

A

Everybody can look it up on their phones. Oh okay, cemetery candidates in the app.

H

And and stephanie you know keeps up she's awesome, yeah. She she keeps up and when she.

H

Makes an audition or something she's, let us know yeah um one thing: she said, though,.

E

And I'm going to make sure that you talk close to the mic so that, as we record at least it'll, be.

H

Captured you know for those hits, it's not that big a deal.

H

Stephanie is really wonderful about updating us and one of the things she.

H

Said, though- and um she just this came through the other day- is that some of the images that.

H

She wanted to use are owned by grave. Is it great something, and so I wondered about that.

H

I mean it's not the most crucial thing, but it is good to have pictorial representation and so.

H

Don't we have pictures ourselves that she can't just import and put on a picture on the page? I was.

E

Gonna say I think um you should feel free to take some current pictures. Oh actually, we can do that.

E

Send them to her and she will use them okay to fit so okay. Well, I mean there's so many.

H

Already whittle it down for her, I will do that or we will do that yeah somebody else anyway,.

C

Yeah yeah, okay, particularly once we start cleaning, that's right like a before and after I think.

H

But she's very responsive, so she's, unbelievable yeah.

H

Yeah, so I think she was referring to pic. You know when I gave her that info on that old website. Yes,.

A

I did I was referring to pictures from that from that okay, they were copyrighted, but I think you're.

A

Right I mean we can just go out and take pictures yeah if something's needed we'll just okay.

G

If that is the website that find the grave? No, no it's something that it used to be one great finder.

H

It wasn't find a grave. It was because people submit pictures to that. So I doubted that they own.

G

Anything that I don't know it must be a difference. It was different, a difference called portsmouth.

C

Was a oldgraves.org one yeah, that's yeah, probably owned by somebody. I think I know someone that has.

G

It yeah yeah yeah yeah. It has but it's easy to get pictures so yeah, okay, yeah. We should take pictures.

A

On the volunteer day, too, yeah yeah after we clean them before, before and after before and after yeah.

E

So I so I think um just know that, though the website is, is not static and through that ongoing.

E

Communication with stephanie and and your two board members here committee members here have.

E

I think found the they've found her and they've established the relationship, so I'd say: yeah.

E

Find some pictures that that seem to capture what you're looking for, and you know just give us.

E

Some time she's got a pretty heavy workload like everyone else, but I'm sure she'd be glad to work.

E

Them in and um yeah and it'll evolve over time. So as we do something with the project you know take.

E

That before and after and then we can also post to the facebook page just to again build up that.

E

Communication with others who may not realize what you're doing yeah yeah yeah, because there's a.

C

Lot of people on the portsmouth facebook, page and unofficial portsmouth facebook page that we could.

C

You know do some pr, I guess yeah, so you know with with pictures so it'll be so exciting. Once we get.

C

Going so I don't know, and maybe even an instagram page at some point or something, but um once we.

C

Start making more physical progress- I guess um so anything else on the web web page update.

A

um I don't know I mean it, you know she did everything. We asked, there's a donate button.

A

There's a contact page, I mean anything we want if anybody has any suggestions, it's really in.

A

The I think it's an infancy- it's not really well developed yet, but any any suggestions. You know we.

A

Can talk to her because she's totally on the ball? Oh she's, yeah, yeah she's, something else.

C

Yep that that's common, though, as a former web designer it's like you know, you start.

C

With a small and you just keep building on it, so so that's awesome all right.

C

So the 400th celebration working committee, um so we need to figure out what we want to do next year.

C

To be part of the 400th celebration- and we were thinking of having like a cemetery week at some.

C

Point during the summer of 2023 and we need to get our application into the 400th committee by.

C

June so I mean we, we have a few weeks, but we're looking for a few volunteers to to you know help.

C

Figure out what we're going to do. I've already volunteered my husband to do a history walk so.

C

One of the cemeteries there's a pretty good document out there for point of graves, but.

C

But so do we have any volunteers or you can always yeah? I can help with that. I think. Okay, great, the.

G

Dover, they have an anniversary going on too and uh same year, so they.

G

They already did like the tour. They have actors. Yes,.

G

Standing in front of the grave telling you who the person is, you know dressed in their costume.

G

I think they did a fair job, but I think that we could do something a little more.

G

Historically, accurate, okay, um maybe I don't know a little professional and put it out there as a.

G

As part of all of the filming and all of that material for the 400.

C

That's awesome, yeah and just as background, so the 400th committee is um is really just partnering.

E

They're only doing a couple of events, you know themselves, but what they're doing is leveraging.

E

The communication that's going to be around the 400 so that, as.

E

Committees, organizations businesses have events that are tying in to the 400th. It becomes a way to.

E

To broadcast to a wider audience those um those activities and so and follow up to that.

E

Cemetery week, having spoken with like said, sue steri before she um was away traveling, she is.

E

In conversation with the state archive archivist, um as I think she reported at the last meeting,.

E

To see if we can get some of those historical documents here, yeah for a specific week and then.

E

Tie the tours and other things into that same period so that there's a a real um focus point.

E

Right of energy and effort, by tying in say, documents tours maybe with the houses.

E

You know as, however, you guys decide to roll it out, but I thought that was a clever idea.

E

On her part, or whoever came up with it, to perhaps get those documents to travel here.

E

Whether they're at the portsmouth, athenaeum or the portsmouth library, um but tying it.

E

All together and then I think, a local exhibit of those of those documents would be good. The only.

G

Problem that I see a conflict is that I'm also part of the friends of four constitution and.

G

They're doing a big re-enactment in 2024 and they're thinking about doing the same thing.

G

Bringing in the documents the proclamation from the governor and they all kinds of other stuff.

G

So it could be some crossover there, but we have plenty of them. That's the thing about living in a.

G

Historic town, we have an overabundance of historic documents. That's my thought too. I'm I'm guessing.

E

It's a good thing to repeat: yeah yeah, I I am sure it'll be workable. Many of them will require to be.

G

Shown in a secure facility, which I think the uh portsmouth you know where the historical society.

H

Is not the same not at the athenaeum discover discovery. They may have the security there.

G

Because of all the material they had yep uh with the art put on for exhibit, so there must.

G

Be a secure facility. Yep though I wonder if the john paul jones house could be used for that.

H

um I've got a code, it's owned by discover report right, but it's also easier to manage.

H

Yeah yeah um the flow of people when you're dealing with documents.

H

Like that actually discover, portsmouth is easier yeah because they they've done it.

E

So I'll add in my notes that sue is offered to be part of the 400th uh team. Thank you sue.

F

Is there like a week schedule like I said it's next year, right, 2023, it's it's yeah! I don't know.

B

Yeah, it's like no, it's like all year! So that's why you can kind of pick your week and that's.

E

Why I'm thinking there's a whatever coordination issue there might need to be between other events.

E

Happening but I like the idea of whether it's one week or two weeks that that there's a focus point.

E

For your efforts, because I think that's gonna um pop a little more in the in the scheduling.

E

um It could be like cemetery tours one week or two weeks during that whole thing: right, yeah,.

E

With the document cemetery yeah yeah, so it's it there. There are a couple signature.

C

Events for the 400th committee right- there's no parade. uh I don't think so. Don't forget.

C

I should, um but uh you know, they're basically saying to us: you can pick your week.

C

That you want to do this and and we'll help you they'll co-brand it with us and.

C

And help get the word out, so I I think what we need. The committee.

C

For at this point is to just say: what are we going to do? You know.

C

Do we have enough to rein to do a reenactment? Can we get the document? You know that kind of thing.

C

And actually, I think the 400 committee would be okay with vague. You know.

C

They are totally behind our committee and um and want to partner with us so um yeah. I think we're.

C

Good, we just, I think harold whitehouse is going to be shocked that there's not going to be a parade.

E

Well not yet, who knows he will be in the round swell.

G

Several times that we've had a 50th anniversary yeah at the forum.

B

Really wow wow prince charles, was here that's right. Oh my god. He was assigned to a british.

B

Naval cruiser, which spent the whole week here in portsmouth, that was a big-time event. It's.

B

Huge yeah, the mayor of portsmouth england, was here. They had a big ball over the armory.

B

Off, that's so cool one of the communities, yeah yeah, so that information eva we met with them.

C

Two months ago, yeah at least maybe yeah, even maybe january yeah january, so maybe the copic situation.

C

Maybe things have evolved better, so um they think that we can. I mean who can.

C

See what next year will bring, but um a lot of change in 50 years, yeah yeah.

C

That's just awesome, so good, uh all right and then item eight is new member applications.

C

We do have one yep that the city council is going to consider at the next meeting. Yep approve.

C

And so we're just you know if you guys know of anybody that wants to.

C

I'm working on somebody to to help out um he's very involved with the anthony and the.

C

Stuff, so I think he'd be good and we already talked about developing a volunteer list in.

C

Volunteer form and the volunteer forms in your packet, so it will be posted eventually on the.

C

Website so that people can, just you know, sign up to to help us out so you're. Putting together will.

F

There be like a um like a flyer that, just for the event that you can hand out with the forum.

C

That's a good idea, you know yeah, that's a good idea, because that's what I'm thinking is.

F

So I live, you know over in port, walk place, you know and there's 200 people that live in there.

F

And a lot of people are interested in doing things and there's all kinds of things that.

F

Go on sue did a tour, but I think I first met you. One years ago did a couple yeah yeah at a.

F

Portland place, but there's a lot of people that are interested in that type of stuff. So I could.

F

Talk to the building management and drop it off at every door, and I guarantee you would get like.

F

Five: seven people yeah. I know if you're interested in this type of stuff yeah. So I don't know I'm.

C

Wondering if we should do a train, the trainer type of thing first, before we yeah kind of go public.

F

Just have it smaller and then you know the next time we, you know what we're doing a little bit.

C

And, like michael said, yeah four hours isn't gonna. Do it yeah we're gonna need to have additional.

C

um Things so, but absolutely that that's yeah, I think I think that's a good idea for, like the.

F

Next step is to have sort of a flyer yep, um so we just do like word of mouth and as you.

F

Said you see how this one goes? Yeah, it's nothing yeah under promise and over deliver type of thing.

C

Absolutely I love that motto yeah um and we want to do signage too, for the north cemetery so for.

C

That day or leading up to that day, um you know to say this is what's happening here. So people you.

C

Know get excited about it and also like what are those people doing in the cemetery kind of thing.

A

So I want to just say I feel really terrible, but I I'll be out of town. Then I know, but I didn't know.

A

It's something long time planned. I won't be able to be at that.

A

I'm sorry I didn't hear yeah, I just can't do it. I just makes me feel bad, but there's plenty to.

H

Come carry yeah, yeah yeah. I mean I'd love to be there, but uh we'll be out of town. Oh yeah,.

A

No, so sorry there's plenty of opportunities and do the help leading up to it. I will do that.

C

All right uh so number one just any further business any.

C

Anybody have ideas they want to share. I don't have an idea, but I have a question.

H

And and for you suzanne, um so I want to just clarification on how much we as individuals.

H

As we're working on projects or things it individually or in pairs or whatnot,.

H

How much are we supposed to run through you? um You know like a lot of times. I have questions today.

H

Today I called amy dixon at you, know historical resources, and you know you do these things, but.

H

But in my mind I'm thinking I I hope, I'm not bypassing someone that I'm supposed to.

H

Talk to so could you help me with that yeah? I don't think there's a real.

E

It's hard to give a a.

E

A good answer to that, I must say I have found that most of the outreach that all of you.

E

Have done to date has been very respectful and thoughtful and I think advanced your.

E

Your interests in helping us protect the cemeteries and I think what susan has done.

E

Is kind of looped me in and said: okay, I've had this conversation with the division of.

E

Historic resources: the division knows that the city needs to sign off on certain things, and so.

E

Just assume that if you're actually going to do, you know make some application like for an l-chip.

E

Grant or something the city is going to have to sign off on that anyways. So the fact that you're.

E

Doing your homework and and helping put together some of that leg, work um I've been comfortable.

E

With that, because, thus far, what I've seen is, you guys are are doing the work and and and yet not.

E

Not making representations beyond it's like. Yes, I'm a member of the committee, I'm helping out.

E

I'm putting this together to bring back to the committee and the city I thus far. I think it has.

E

Been a good working relationship and that's why I wanted to get corn here, because the minute we.

E

Start to actually do physical work that does have an in intersection, obviously with public works, so.

E

We need to have that good communication, and now you know more, it takes him. You know four to five.

E

Hours with five people just to cut the grass, um it's good for you to have that information.

E

And good for him to hear what you'd like to do so that we can provide that feedback. um You know.

E

And then on the money piece: okay, we were trying to decide. Well, should we just you know, have you.

E

Go buy it, someone from the committee and then we get the receipts for it or shall we actually just.

E

It'll be cleaner, we've got some, I'm sure we can find some other.

E

You know thing that we need to do in that direction of the state and just have someone with.

E

A proper city of portsmouth credit card who knows how to you know, give it to finance to get it up.

E

To all the process that we would just do it that way to make sure that there's good, tracking and.

E

The material will be a public work, so any expenditures yeah it was just- was gonna, be.

E

Much easier to do it that way, um and so I I'd say thus far, I'm finding the intersections are working.

E

Pretty well because you guys are communicating well and so not sure, there's a hard and fast line.

E

There I just say I haven't seen any issues yet because things are coming back to me when they.

E

Need to come back to me. Well, if we all started calling you you would be, you would have been right.

E

And that's why I thought you know you don't want to overstep. You know and I appreciate.

E

The thoughtfulness of that and you are always free to reach out to me, um like I said I think.

E

uh Thus far, susan's been good about running quite a long way and then touching back in.

E

Okay, um I know you know, stephanie has kept me looped in and sometimes just copy me on an email.

E

And you know, if I see this, you know something that needs some direction but thus far. I think you guys.

E

Are finding your footing fairly well, in terms of where you can be helpful and really advance.

E

You know your interest in preserving the cemeteries and and getting them the attention that.

E

You'd like to see them, have, I think, you're finding your place. So that's great. Thank you. No thank you.

G

What does supportment 400 the committee meets? Is that going to be a year-long thing? No, I mean they.

E

Meet pretty regularly yeah, um but I don't know because I've been through their website a couple.

G

Of times I haven't been able to see anything anything other than who's in whatever board you.

E

Know what why don't, I just um I I know they're meeting pretty regularly I'll just see if I can.

E

Get to the next set of meetings if they have them and just link you up to them yeah. Is it.

F

A blue ribbon type of committee that 400, I'm not sure I believe so yeah. It is okay.

E

Yep, it may not happen. It may not have a standing date, but let me see how I can make sure you know.

E

When those meetings are happening, let's see if I can make that connection. Okay, so cool.

A

So I'm making your presentation yeah. I was just going to say if.

F

What's that yeah the presentation, so that's to the city council, I believe it's seven.

F

O'clock on the 18th, I'm about halfway done with it and I'll, send it out to everyone.

F

I'm going to be traveling a lot. The next couple of weeks for business awful at airplane time.

F

But taking a lot of pictures at the north cemetery walking the grounds out there been doing some.

F

Research, basically, the purpose of the presentation right is to um tell the who the who, what why and.

F

When right of what we're doing so, the city council knows that we have a committee. That is, uh you know,.

F

Definitely engaged committed and we're getting things done right um because a lot of them don't.

F

um How much time is allotted for that? It's ten minutes right. We would like it to be somewhere.

E

Around not not a hard and fast, but they actually have a lot on their agenda. Mm-Hmm um for the.

F

18Th, what I'm gonna do is my wife's going to um time me and uh uh you know so I'll, get it down.

F

It'll be like 10 minutes or so, but I don't want to achieve you know. Definitely you know definitely.

E

Mention the monument the headstone cleaning project. Oh yeah, definitely that's what you.

F

Know that's what I was going to do is basically just talk about what our mission statement is.

F

Why it's important to a community like portsmouth to do this in the first place, sounds good um and.

F

Then the cleaning process and when the date is good and then we can touch base. Why don't you.

E

Test space with me, when you kind of get the presentation towards final, because we'll get.

E

It loaded for you and I'll help you do. I need to bring in, like my laptop or anything you'll already.

F

Have it set up? No we'll talk about yeah you and I can talk offline about how to coordinate that and.

E

How to run it yep, so we graded the members of the committee too, on the 18th. Well, if you.

F

Have that more, you know, if you guys are free, it would be great to you know, have.

F

You there and support, live, or at least look on the website. Yeah I've been coming to the.

G

City council meeting, so I guess I'll be on that one too you live there.

G

I'm moving into city hall at any time.

C

All right great, so our next meeting, the first thursday.

C

In may is, may 5th everybody cinco de mayo, okay, cinco de mayo. You can go for margaritas.

C

This is being recorded.

F

I will be in florida that day, but I might be able to dial in.

C

um So any motion to adjourn so I move so move. Thank you so much.