August 4, 2025 @ 9:00 a.m. the Cemetery Trustees met at the Historical Society building. Ruth Hammen, Fred Shaw and Brenda Boswak were in attendance.
OLD BUSINESS
Garry Kalajian, Ararat Forge, met with Ruth & Brenda to discuss the placement of the nearly finished, new Knowlton-Edgerly Cemetery gates. These gates will be placed in the granite block wall on the Horse Corner Road side of the cemetery, possibly using the existing hardware still in the stones. We had discussion about the granite pillars slight tilt; Garry determined it would be ok to mount the gates with the pillars as is.
Don Cotnoir, NH Monuments has completed placement of cornerstones in Leavitt Cemetery and other minor repair work on a gravestone. Brenda submitted his invoices to the Town Treasurer for payment on July 29, 2025. Don received his $3500 payment for the work at Page Cemetery.
We do not have an update from the Road Agent on the status of the removal of the dirt pile at the rear corner of Leavitt Cemetery.
Brenda contacted three chain link fence companies to provide estimates for repairing the sunken gate post at Leavitt Cemetery, so that the gates are level. We are still waiting for one more estimate before making our decision on the repair.
Brenda contacted Phil Carpenter, The Tree Guy about scheduling a time to grind the stumps at True Cemetery. He will contact us after his vacation.
Ruthie contacted Hodgkins Painting & Maintenance to request that he give more attention to the trimming around gravestones in the cemeteries. The last couple of mowings/trimmings left a lot of unfinished spots.
NEW BUSINESS
The Cemetery Trustees met with Allan Clark to discuss his monetary donation offer towards work at Leavitt Cemetery. Allan’s desire is for his donation to be used to keep the driveway chain link gates and fence clear of brush. Fred drafted a trust stating Allan’s intent/purpose while we met. Fred will meet with Allan to sign the final draft and submit the trust, along with the $1,000 check from Allan Clark to the Trustees of the Trust Funds.
We received a letter from Sandra Ordway requesting our attention to the sparse grass cover and damage at her father’s gravesite (Thomas Lingner) in Leavitt Cemetery. The soil is poor in that area, prone to turkeys etc. digging in the fall. Brenda will call to discuss with Sandra that our maintenance contract does not provide repairs to the ground cover and that we are agreeable to Grubex being spread in that area if she chooses to do that.
Sharon Allaire met with us this morning briefly, to notify us that she no longer wished to apply for a temporary flag display in Leavitt Cemetery.
Ruthie will contact Hodgkins Painting & Maintenance to schedule the mowing and brush clearing of Fellow-Webster Cemetery.
We do not have an update on the status of Fellows-Webster Cemetery being added to the town tax map.
Tim Mayville and Fred have compiled extensive information and documentation on the Leavitt Cemetery field, to request including that on the town tax maps. Fred and Ruth are continuing to gather the supporting documentation needed to request other town cemeteries be included on the town tax map.
Fred has been reviewing and organizing the archived Cemetery Trustees’ files at the Town Hall office.
Ruthie met with family members of the Gazaway lot in Leavitt Cemetery to answer questions about their lot.
Brenda will work on a Cemetery Trustees display for Old Home Day, August 23, 2025.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Boswak, Cemetery Trustee, Secretary