AGENDA #9b

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:       Recommendations for Improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery

DATE:             December 6, 2004

The attached Resolution “A” would specify the uses of $150,000 in available funding to make Cemetery improvements as proposed by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force.

Enactment of the attached ordinance would allocate an additional $20,000 from fund balance in the General Fund to the Cemetery Beautification project account to be used for stone gutter improvements adjacent to the westernmost cross path of the Cemetery.

The attached Resolution “B” would direct the Town Manager to submit future Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Capital Improvement Project proposals to the Town’s Historic District Commission for review and comment prior to implementation.

The attached Resolution “C” would refer the issue of a future role in oversight of Cemetery improvements to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their consideration as recommended by the Task Force.

DISCUSSION

Cemetery Improvements:

The Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force’s recommendations include allocating $150,000 in available funding for specific Cemetery improvements.  We believe these recommendations are reasonable.

Allocation of $20,000 in Additional Funding:

The Task Force recommends that $20,000 in additional funding be allocated for stone gutter improvements along the westernmost Cemetery cross path. We believe this project would contribute to improved appearance and function.

The attached Ordinance would allocate $20,000 from General Fund balance to cover the cost of the stone gutter improvements.  The undesignated fund balance available is $5,634,550 and is within the 10% - 12 % range considered the minimum desirable.

Oversight Role for the Historic District Commission:

The Task Force recommends that the Council refer the issue of future oversight of Cemetery improvements to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their consideration.  The minutes of the Task Force’s November 23 meeting indicate that Task Force members discussed various roles the Historic District Commission might play in oversight of the Cemetery and agreed that the issue should be referred to the Commission for a discussion of what role the Commission believed it could play in support of the Cemetery.

We believe it would be appropriate for the Historic District Commission to review and comment on future proposed Capital Improvement Projects prior to implementation. If there are disagreements between staff and Commission recommendations, such matters could be presented to the Council for resolution.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Council adopt the attached Resolution “A” specifying the uses of $150,000 in available funding to make Cemetery improvements as proposed by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force, and enact the attached Ordinance making available an additional $20,000 for stone gutter improvements.  We also recommend that the Council adopt Resolution “B” directing the Town Manager to submit future Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Capital Improvement Project proposals to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their review and comment prior to implementation.

If the Council wishes to refer the issue of a future role in oversight of Cemetery improvements to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their consideration, then adoption of Resolution “C” would do so.

RESOLUTION “A”

A RESOLUTION SPECIFYING THE USES OF $150,000 IN AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OLD CHAPEL HILL CEMETERY AS RECOMMENDED BY THE OLD CHAPEL HILL CEMETERY TASK FORCE (2004-12-06/R-12a)

WHEREAS, the Council established the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force to develop recommendations for utilizing $150,000 in available funding for improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the recommendations of the Task Force for use of this available funding;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Manager is authorized to allocate $150,000 in available funding for improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery as recommended by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force and as described in this report.

This the 6^th day of December, 2004.

RESOLUTION “B”

A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE TOWN MANAGER TO SUBMIT FUTURE OLD CHAPEL HILL CEMETERY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROPOSALS TO THE TOWN’S HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION (2004-12-06/R-12b)

WHEREAS, the Council established the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force to develop recommendations for utilizing $150,000 in available funding for improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the recommendation of the Task Force to involve the Town’s Historic District Commission in future Cemetery improvements; and

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the Manager’s recommendation to submit future Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Capital Improvement Project proposals to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their review and comment prior to implementation;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Manager is directed to submit future Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Capital Improvement Project proposals to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their review and comment prior to implementation.

This the 6^th day of December, 2004.

RESOLUTION “C”

A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE TOWN MANAGER TO REFER THE ISSUE OF A POSSIBLE ROLE IN OVERSEEING FUTURE CEMETERY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TOWN’S HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION (2004-12-06/R-12c)

WHEREAS, the Council established the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force to develop recommendations for utilizing $150,000 in available funding for improvements to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the recommendation of the Task Force to involve the Town’s Historic District Commission in future Cemetery improvements; and

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the Task Force’s recommendation for referring the issue of a possible role in overseeing future Cemetery improvements to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their consideration;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Manager is directed to refer the issue of a possible role in overseeing future Cemetery improvements to the Town’s Historic District Commission for their consideration.

This the 6^th day of December, 2004.

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2004” (2004-12-06/O-5)

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2004” as duly adopted on June 14, 2004 and the same is hereby amended as follows:

ARTICLE I

                                                Current                                                 Revised

APPROPRIATIONS               Budget             Increase           Decrease          Budget

GENERAL FUND

Transfer to Capital

Improvement Fund                      874,000        20,000                                        894,000

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT

PROGRAM FUND                 1,821,779        20,000                                     1,841,779

ARTICLE II

                                                Current                                                 Revised

REVENUES                            Budget             Increase           Decrease          Budget

GENERAL FUND

(appropriated

fund balance)                            2,477,667        20,000                                     2,497,667

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT

PROGRAM FUND

Transfer from General Fund         874,000        20,000                                        894,000

This the 6^th day of December, 2004.