Natasha, when you're ready.

Okay.

Bang first.

Okay, I called this I called the meeting of the Ela Cemetery Board to order at four oh one on February Friday, June twenty-seventh, twenty twenty-five.

Could we all please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance?

Yeah, yeah.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Mr.

Tidwell.

Present.

Mr.

Paulson.

Present.

Vice Chair Tidwell.

Here.

Thank you.

Okay.

Are there any appearances from the floor?

No.

Okay.

No appearances from the floor.

Let's move on to item five, director's report.

Paul.

So we appreciate you making those accommodations for staff as well as yourselves.

Uh in addition to that, we offer some information on cemetery maintenance as well, as well as any events that we have may have had at the uh cemetery.

Uh so from July 1 to present, uh cemetery staff has conducted 88 burials, uh set 16 headstones, uh, as well as port 52 foundations.

Uh that includes Jerry and and his crew, which are a crew of what would that be, Jerry?

Six six employees.

Yeah, in addition to that, we've also processed 48 miscellaneous work orders.

Uh that includes drilling of foundations for flowers, so we drill holes in the foundations for flowers, as well as mounting flower vases and other miscellaneous things.

Uh in the way of cemetery maintenance, you'll notice that we are irrigation at the uh cemetery, our irrigation efforts have increased.

Uh I just wanted to warn the committee that with that often comes um risks of the grave sinking, especially the new graves that have been dug.

Um you may have heard this took place uh just prior to uh Father's Day.

Um there were some postings on social media.

Um know that staff will be doing our best effort to try to get in those areas to backfill these graves, but when the ground saturated, it's really difficult to get our equipment in those areas and backfill because we end up creating more damage uh than we do actually um solving the issues.

Um we were fortunate enough to have Jerry and someone else come out the Saturday before Father's Day, and actually we're able to backfill uh four of those grave sites uh that had sunken.

Um so just please keep that in mind.

This is normal as the ground gets saturated, especially any areas that are new, or in this case we have a new section.

Um we'll all we'll see sinking that takes place, but we'll do our best to rectify that as fast as we can.

Um just for your information, we did remove two pine trees at the cemetery.

These were damaged a couple of years ago due to a micro burst that it took place at one of our monsoon storms.

Uh we do plan on replacing those trees uh next fiscal if possible.

Those trees can arrange at those if we're able to purchase large trees, they can range anywhere from 15 to 25,000, including installation, depending on the size of tree that you purchase.

And thirdly, you may have noticed that we as part of our pavement preservation program that we did have a YSC pavement on site, and they paved the majority of the cemetery area.

Uh that was part of our capital improvement plan.

Um that project costs just uh under 17,000 dollars.

Uh we do have section B remaining that we'll pave.

Uh that section was chip seal, so that uh requires a different application.

So we hope to address that either this fiscal or the following.

Uh lastly, on May 26th, uh, along with uh the Chamber of Commerce, uh, we hosted the Memorial Day celebration out at the cemetery.

Um approximately 100 to 150 people were in attendance.

Uh Jerry and his staff were able to assist uh with polishing headstones, setting up our shade canopies and sound system and a variety of other things.

Um in addition to that, I just wanted to make a note.

Uh you'll notice that there's a recording of names.

Um one of our board members, Miss Mary Lou Martinez, does that on our behalf.

So she that's her voice that you hear with the names running through the scroll there.

Madam Chair, that's all I have.

Happy to answer any questions regarding cemetery maintenance if there are any Paul.

I was out there on Father's Day, and I've noticed that there were two possibly three vehicles that parked right on the roadway.

I know you can't go out there and move them, but can we put signs up asking them not to do that?

It makes it hard for everybody else out there visiting, especially on those popular days.

We can definitely look into that.

We can look into purchasing some signs and trying to um actually install those throughout the cemetery to see if that helps keep the cars off of the cemetery paths.

Absolutely.

Okay, let's go ahead and move on to item six, business possible discussion and or action of the following.

Uh are there any questions or changes that need to be made to the minutes?

Madam Chair.

I believe there is an error in the June 27th, 2023 minutes.

And item six A.

I believe it should have been chairman or Chair Powell or I don't believe I was even on the committee then.

Any other changes report okay?

Do I have a motion to approve the minutes with changes?

So moved.

Do I have a second?

All right, we have a motion and second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Okay.

Let's go on to item B.

This time I open the floor for nominations for the position of chair.

Madam Chair, if I may, just a little background.

Um so Mayor Powell served as the chairperson of this committee the past couple of years, and prior to that, um board member Tidwell, Mr.

Tidwell actually served as the chairperson.

So just a little background as to who has experience in this area.

And I believe um Natasha has served as the vice chair, correct?

Okay, thank you.

I'll second that.

All in favor.

Okay, item six C Nominations for Vice Chair.

I know my name, Mr.

Garcia.

I'll second that.

Any other nominations for vice chair?

As for a motion to approve.

Uh Mr.

Garcia, Councilman Garcia as vice chair to cemetery board.

Um I'll go ahead and make the motion to approve Mr.

Garcia as vice chair.

Second.

Any other nominations?

Hearing none, I have a motion to approve.

Just the vote.

You need to vote now.

Don't need another motion.

Oh, okay.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries you nine.

Moving on to item seven.

Paul.

Chairman Tidwell members.

Chairman Tidwell, members of the board.

I think the only remaining thing we have is just to poll the committee to see if this particular uh day of the week and time work for future board meetings.

And uh or is there another option that that the the committee prefers?

I'll speak up.

I personally love this time.

This will interfere in the fall when we get into football season.

Well, this is time good for me.

Maybe by the next meeting, I'll learn how to run a meeting.

I won't remember how to I personally don't have a preference as far as time.

Okay, moving forward, we'll do our best to be diligent about scheduling these meetings quarterly.

Um I know it's been a while since we've met that falls on my shoulders.

Um so moving forward, we'll do our best to schedule these meetings out in advance and take everyone's comments into consideration, um, keeping in mind that um there are obligations coming up as it pertains to the school year and so forth.

So thank you very much for the information.

Any other ones have comments to make ask for a motion to adjourn?

I make a motion that we adjourn.

Have a second.

I'll second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Motion adjourn.

Meeting adjourned.

See?

It's been