AGENDA #2a
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and Town Council
From: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
Subject: Public Forum on Improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
Date: November 8, 2004
The Town Council called tonight’s Public Forum to receive public comment on improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery recommended by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force.
BACKGROUND
On August 26, 2003, the Council approved a resolution authorizing a revision to the University’s Master Plan permitting construction of the Cobb parking deck and chiller plant. That resolution included stipulations that required that the University restore the perimeter stone walls of the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery and contribute $100,000 to a fund to be used for other Cemetery improvements. The stipulation also called for the creation of a joint Town and University task force to make recommendations on the use of the available funds. A copy of that stipulation is attached (Attachment 1).
On November 10, 2003, the Council approved a budget ordinance allocating $50,000 from the fund balance to the Cemetery Beautification project account in the Capital Improvements Fund to provide a total of $150,000 in available funding. On January 12, 2004, the Council appointed members to the joint Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force. In total, six members were appointed by the Council and six by the University and include:
Town Appointees:
Council Member Dorothy Verkerk (chair), Rebecca Clark, Catherine Frank, Steven Moore, Faison Sessoms and Cat Williams
University Appointees:
Jill Coleman, Paul Kapp, Kirk Pelland, Bruce Runberg, John Sanders and Bland Simpson
From March 4, 2004, through September 22, 2004, the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force convened five meetings. At the September 22, 2004, meeting the Task Force discussed a variety of possible Cemetery improvements, utilizing the $150,000 in available funding and, by a vote of 6 to 1, approved a list of specific recommendations for the Council’s consideration. This list, with cost estimates for the recommended projects, is provided on page 7 in the attachments.
On October 11, 2004, the Task Force’s recommendations were presented to the Council. Attachment 2 includes that night’s agenda item along with its two attachments: 1) the list of specific recommended improvements and, 2) the minutes of the Task Force’s September 22, 2004 meeting.
DISCUSSION
The list of recommend improvements provided with the October 11, 2004, report to the Council identified approximately $300,000 in needed Cemetery improvements and included those improvements that the Task Force as a group had identified as the highest priorities. During the Task Force’s deliberations, other needed improvements, including the restoration of interior stone walls and privately installed plot fences, were also discussed but cost estimates for these projects have not yet been identified. We anticipate that if all possible improvements were considered, the cost of necessary Cemetery improvements could exceed $500,000. Accordingly, the Task Force recommended in its report that other future funding sources be pursued to continue necessary restoration work once the $150,000 in available funding has been allocated.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council refer the matter to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force for consideration of comments and a report back to the Council with final recommendations.
Attachments