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The structure was given to the town by William Bradford Homer Dow, a native son, prominent citizen, lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist. He also cried provided the funds for the Dow Memorial Library building next door. The Dow family settled in Sherburn right after the revolution and has remained a prominent family and familiar name in town ever since. As an outdoor sculpture in a busy location, memory is constantly exposed to the weather and to air pollution. It has been 10 years since work was last done on the statue. The surface and protective coating on the bronze are showing signs of deterioration, bubbling, and pitting, as well as being unusually dark. Without proper treatment, the surface will continue to deteriorate and risk damage to the bronze of the sculpture. We were unable to find any record of work having been done on the granite. Some of the large stone pieces that make up the monument, particularly the top steps, have shifted, creating gaps and uneven surfaces.
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The mortar in the steps and other parts of the structure have deteriorated and is missing in many areas, allowing water to get between and under the granite pieces, risking further shifting and damage. The stone is also heavily stained in some areas. Professional conservators have inspected the memorial and made recommendations for treatment and repair. The sculpture will be treated by removing the heavy coating of glossy lacquer that currently covers her and carefully cleaning the bronze surface. Then a protective coating will be applied, followed by several coats of wax. Recommendations for regular maintenance will also be provided to ensure that the work lasts. For the granite, the steps will be repositioned, leveled, and repointed. Other seams in the monument will be repointed as needed. Then the stone surface will be cleaned to return it to its original appearance. This is all work that needs to be done to preserve this piece of Sherburn's history.
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As mentioned in the warrant, the historical commission, not the conservation commission, has applied on behalf of the town for a grant through the state historical commission. If we're are able to receive grant funding, it will cover up to half of the cost of the work. Thank you, Peggy.
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You want to stay there in case there are any questions? Does anyone have any comment or questions? Is there someone heading for the mic? Okay. George, 19 Deerfield Road, Sherman, Massachusetts. Um, I didn't realize 10 years had passed since uh this body authorized the resurfacing of the statue. Is is has it been 10 years? 200 what? Seven. Seven. God, am I getting old? um in the fact that we had did it 10 years ago and we were assured that the repair would be uh needed and would be effective. Why do we need to do it again this year? Um the coating that was applied at that time has begun to deteriorate. Um we've been told by a conservator that it wasn't uh applied properly, that it was applied excessively heavily. Okay. um it's started to show signs of bubbling and pitting. Um if it's not properly treated now, that will just continue to deteriorate um and become more of a problem, more expensive to deal with.
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What precautions have been taken uh to uh ensure that the application of the new surface will not suffer the same fate as the old surface. We're consulting with um a preservation consultant and with a professional conservator to make sure that the treatment is done properly. They'll also give us a maintenance program, a recommendation for a maintenance program that should maintain the surface. And we've been told um by one person who who looked at it for us that properly maintain the surface should last for 20 to 30 years. Thank you. I recommend that we affirm the request for the resurfacing of the statute. Are there any other comments or questions? If not, we'll proceed to the vote. And this requires the twothirds vote for approval. All those in favor, please say I. I. Those opposed, nay. Motion passes by 2/3. Um, line six, Cemetery Commission, Cemetery Improvements, Road and Drainage.
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Miss Relis, I move that 327,000 be appropriated for the purpose of making repairs and improvements to the roadways and drainage system in the Pine Hill Cemetery and that to meet this appropriation, the treasurer with the approval of the board of selection be authorized to borrow up to up to 327,000 pursuant to general laws chapter 44 section 71 or any other applicable statute. Provided, however, that this appropriation shall not take effect until the town votes to exempt from the limitation on total taxes imposed by the general laws chapter 59, section 21 CK, Proposition 2 and a half, the amounts required to pay the principle and interest on the bonds and notes authorized by this vote. Any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, thus any such premium applied to the payment of the cost of issuance of such bonds or notes, apply to the payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with chapter 44 section 20 of the general laws thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by like amount the appropriation for this article and approved borrowing thereon will sunset on June 30th 2022 second it's been moved and seconded I understand we're going to have a presentation from Jean H of the cemetery commission [Music] Hello, my name is Jean Ham, Cemetery Commissioner, 257 Washington Street.
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Behind me on the screen is a brief slideshow showing existing conditions and a summary of the engineering recommendations. There were handouts out front, I believe, and it can also be found on the cemetery page of the town website. I first wish to thank the citizens of Sherburn for supporting an engineering study approved at last year's town meeting and completed a few months ago. Secondly, I would like to report on the engineers proposed solutions to the serious drainage and road issues at Pineh Hill Cemetery. And please note that it is the only active municipal cemetery in Sherburn and visited daily. The capital expenditure line item should be supported by the town citizens. It has been approved by the capital budget committee and a majority of the advisory committee. The advisory minority opinion incorrectly reports that the roads in the new section may not be used for up to 30 years.
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These roads are being used now during burial processions by residents visiting loved ones already buried in the new section and by the police department. The project is designed to address serious erosion and drainage issues at Pinehill Cemetery that affect surface areas that include both burial spaces as well as road degradation. State storm water regulations demand that we manage water runoff within the boundaries of the cemetery. The Good News Pinehill Cemetery is well positioned to support town and state obligations for years to come. We have already begun selling lots in the new section. The reality in keeping with tradition going back to 1852, Pinehill Cemetery has been an everchanging landscape trying to balance the needs of a burial location while also being a place that is respectful of the departed and safe for all to visit. Safety also extends to the need for public safety. Rebuilt roads will ensure that police can rapidly respond to emergencies at Pineh Hill School since the cemetery affords a rapid response route from Cemetery Lane to the school as well as an emergency egress route for the students at Pineh Hill School heading towards Cemetery Lane.
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Also, the repair work will ensure continued access to the cemetery for example snow plowing on well-defined roadways. In summary, the muchneeded project calls for installation of 14 drainage control features and three major road repair efforts to complement the drainage controls, including rebanking, rip wrap, BMS, chip seal, and some paving. We thank you and urge your support of this capital budget item to keep Pineh Hill Cemetery safe and vital for those who rest there, for those who may join them in the future, as well as for the living who visit. Again, thanks Thank you, Jean. I Mr. Yan, I understand you would like to offer an amendment. Yes. Thank you, madam moderator. Um, first of all, want to thank Susie Tyler and Jean and Chucky Blaney for all the hard work they've done on this project. Um, it's a substantial project and the board of selectman is recommending that the town's chief procurement officer, Dave Williams, the town administrator, uh, be involved in the, um, approval uh, and review of these contracts.
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This is about a third of a million dollars in capital projects. So, the amendment that we're offering is to add language that all contracts shall be subject to review and approval of the town's chief procurement officer, the town administrator, and the board of selectmen. Um, is there a second for your amendment? Second. The amendment has been moved and seconded that all contracts shall be subject to review and approval of the town's chief procurement officer, the town administrator, and the board of selectmen.
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Is there any discussion about the amendment? This is a simple majority for passage. All those in favor, please say I. Those opposed, nay. Motion passes and we'll return to the amended main motion. Is there any further discussion about it? Is the person walking up the aisle going to talk? I Oh, there is someone there. Okay. Jim Campbell, 212 Farm Road. Yes. I noticed in the advisory committee report there is a minority report that talks about Excuse me, Jim. Someone said they could not hear. if you could not get too close to the mic but perhaps speak more loudly. Okay, I'll try again. Jim Campbell 212 Farm Road. My point is that the U advisory committee report on this discusses a minority report talks about a certain percentage of the funds to be expended aren't needed for up to another 30 years. I heard Gene H allude to the fact that that's because that was the new portion of the cemetery, but my question really is what percentage of the 327,000 or so could be deferred.
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Would you like an answer from Gene Hal or from the advisory from that minority report group on the advisory committee? Well, actually, why don't Jean was standing up, so why don't we have both respond to that? Who would like to speak for the minority? Crack at it. Okay. From my recol recollection of the presentation that we received, um there was this discussion of um a significant portion of the spend was to build roadways out that in the words of the presenters would not be used um for burial services uh or plots for decades to come. Um, for me as one of the denters, uh, at this time of a tight fiscal budget in this town, um, I don't know that we should be spending our capital dollars on something, a roadway that wouldn't be used for potentially decades to come. If the roadways that are currently there are old and are beat up and need to be repaired, why would we be building roads at the moment that before they ever are put to use, we are expecting that they will probably likely also need to be repaired?
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Jean, my clarification, I did mention allude to the minority report in my little presentation. Um, a cemetery doesn't we don't wall off a certain section of the cemetery and wait for x amount of time. The process is that people who choose to find a lot wander the cemetery and select the lot where they choose to be have loved ones buried. As such we have this the cemetery as a whole once a section is opened up and the new section is opened up um is available. We cannot predict where. We just have to make sure that we have the ability for get people to move around for the burial process to be taken care of at the time. So, it's not quite the same thing to as alluded in my understanding of the minority report that the new section wouldn't be used for 30 years. rather the new section wouldn't quote fill up for a substantial period of time.
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In that sense in about if we assume 30 years after 30 years the town would have to purchase new property to for a new burial for a new cemetery if you looked at it that way. So, I guess what I'm hearing is that in fact all the roads in the cemetery, including the expansion area, are are presently being used and therefore need not all I to be fair with you and to be honest, not all of the new section is being used because it's a new section and some of it is and and some of it is being sold. Lots are being sold in the new section, but it's a new section. It's only been recently over the last year that we began selling lots in the new section. So, it's not a situation where there are people, you know, uh purchasing lots all over the new section.
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That just hasn't happened yet. But that's because it is a new section. Okay. It Yes. Um we'll go up here and then we'll go back. I see someone in the back. Yes, Mr. Dances. I want to try I want to try and answer that question a little sharper. The uh original request was significantly higher than what you have before us tonight. We had the discussion that some roads weren't going to be used for a considerable period of time. We made an estimate as to what part of this original expenditure was going to be used for those roads and the original request was reduced by some $80,000 to get down to the 327 that's before you today. So, an effort was undertaken to do exactly what Jim Campbell had mentioned, and that's the reduced number that's before you today. Thank you. In the rear, Scott Embry, Wildwood Drive.
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Um, excuse me. You're standing actually too close to the mic. If you could step back a little bit and and then speak loudly and step back. How we doing? Uh you're pretty good. Good. What is the town's obligation to provide burial space? And depending on the answer to that, I may have a followup. Jean It is I'm not a lawyer but is my understanding from state law chapter MGL 114 I believe uh that the town every town municipal municipality in the state of Massachusetts is responsible for providing cemetery space for burials of its residents. But then again, I'm not a lawyer, but that's my understanding of the law. You are correct. Town council is shaking her head. Yes. Did you have a followup? Uh so yes, I do. So then the question would be with this I guess undefined amount because hopefully we're not expecting 100% occupancy uh immediately.
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No. So that's uh undefined. So, do we need to open new sections? And by what time period do we need to continue to open new sections? If we don't know how much space we need, then do we need to open more space? We based on estimates and I don't want to get into details on how we do estimates but basically we uh the cemetery commission at no cost at a town expended considerable amount of money to develop this new section that I'm alluding to which is basically an area between the main body of the cemetery and Pineh Hill School. That area was a hill and basically was leveled and there was a lot of blasting done. But in the end we have a relatively flat area surface area in which to bury and we only I can only speak to the fact that we are now beginning to sell lots in that new section and that's where people are turning to more and more.
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Thank Thank you, Jane. Thanks. Is there any other question or comment? Yes. Michael, it's not working. Where's the mic? Oh, there is. Hey, there we go. Thanks. Uh, Michael Jamo, 32 Mil Street, and and board of selectmen. Board of selectman voted 4 to one to support the article with the motion made by Mr. Jan. I was the one. Um, I don't think this is a necessary expense for the town. I don't think it's been vetted well enough. the engineering study was done. It hasn't been peer-reviewed. Um, we've heard a lot of discussion about the expansion area. What that really means is the cemetery commission on its own initiative created new roads, maybe more new roads than are needed for a period of time, and now we're asking the town to spend more than our annual ordinary road budget to pave them. Um, there are drainage improvements that need to be done.
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I would support doing those drainage improvements, but I don't think it takes anything close to the amount of money we've got authorized for or allocated towards this now until we've proven with some kind of a uh neutral review that the engineering study that was already done uh last year is actually accurate and defensible. I I think we ought to be careful about allocating all this money to this project. Thank you, Charlie. Charlie Williams, 10 Abbey Road, member of the Sherban Firewood crew that has helped clear some of that area. The 1852 Town Cemetery is Sherban's only active cemetery. The new area is already being used. My wife is buried there. There are three other burials right on the edge of it. Thank you. Yes, Elliot, why don't you just pass the mic down to Elliot? Elliot Taylor. I've uh lived and played in Pineh Hill Cemetery for 75 years, but uh I've watched many changes there.
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Just want to say when you build a road, you better think long term. and uh just to build a little section of road here and then come back and have to build a little more. You've got to have drainage and think of your drainage long term and when you first start have the drainage all in there so it'll be there for many many years. I think you might want to bond this uh project so you could spread out the payments, but uh I think it'd be foolish to go in there and dig a little here, dig a little there, come back in a couple of years and have to uh undo what you've done when you could have done it right the first time. You've also want to plant some trees and uh trees don't grow in two years. So, uh you can plant trees, do landscaping while you do this project.
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