Highland Cemetery Board

2024 MINUTES REGULAR CALLED MEETING HIGHLAND CEMETERY BOARD WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6th, 2024, 2:00 PM OWENS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER 1405 SW 11th STREET, LAWTON, OK, 73501 CONFERENCE ROOM The Meeting of the Highland Cemetery Board was held Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at the Owens Multipurpose Center, 1405 SW 11th Street, Lawton, Oklahoma, and called to order by Barry Beauchamp, at 2:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: MEMBERS PRESENT: Barry Beauchamp, Robert Williams, Gerald "Deuce" Gragg MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Donald Kousman, Sexton; Antonio Hopson, Parks and Grounds Superintendent; Dylan Dunavin, Admin. II recording secretary OTHERS PRESENT: None ---------------------------------------------------- 11. REPORTS Donald Kousman states that all information will fall under unfinished business or new business. III. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION None ----------------------------- IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Donald Kousman states that he is still waiting on the funding to take effect before getting started on the project list, although he states FastSigns will be doing the 250 new signs in the cemetery and will be doing the installation for $30,292.00 out of the operations budget. Barry Beauchamp asks about an update on the east fence. DK - We recently patched it and nobody has cut it since. They found an area down where the concrete culvert is where they can crawl under the fence to cross through. That is part of the priority list, but we will need to obtain updated quotes for that. Robert Williams asks if the cameras in the cemetery are high enough where they can't be tampered with. DK- We haven't had any issues with the cameras being tampered with. Not to say that it couldn't happen, but we have not had that issue. BB - I see on the list that there are three flag poles being replaced. Where are those? DK-Two are the west side near the office, and the third is the Garrison flag near the Veterans area. RW - What keeps breaking them? DK - Over time the weather wears down the flags and the ropes. Whether it be the hot sun or the hard winds we get. I'm looking at flag poles that feature internal hardware to at least protect the ropes. Back when I worked in Texas, all our flag poles had internal hardware and never needed replaced. V. NEW BUSINESS A. Consider approving the minutes of the August 7th, 2024, regular meeting. MOTION by Robert Williams; SECOND by Gerald "Deuce" Gragg AYES: Robert Williams, Gerald "Deuce" Gragg, NAYS: None ABSTAIN: Barry Beauchamp due to August 7th absence MOTION CARRIES 1  B. Consider approving the 2025 Notice of Annual Meetings. MOTION by Robert Williams; SECOND by Gerald ''Deuce" Gragg AYES: Barry Beauchamp, Robert Williams, Gerald "Deuce" Gragg NAYS:None MOTION CARRIES C. Consider Approving quote for new mower. Donald Kousman reports that he has lost 3 mowers this year due to mechanical failure. He presents a quote for $10,827.10 from B&B Garage LLC for a new mower. Donald states that the dealer is local and will do the repairs on it locally. MOTION by Gerald "Deuce" Gragg; SECOND by Robert Williams AYES: Barry Beauchamp, Robert Williams, Gerald "Deuce" Gragg NAYS:None MOTION CARRIES D. Receive presentation on Highland Cemetery land expansion from Donald Kousman. Donald Kousman reports that he has reached out to Yolanda Ramos with KCA about the possible purchase of land directly to the south of Highland Cemetery. They do not sell their land, but they would hear a proposal for a donation. When originally speaking to Yolanda, she mentioned a possible profit sharing but since that would have to go through City Council, we don't exactly know how that would look at this point in time. I also included an incentive for free burials for KCA members on this land because their current location is suffering due to flooding. RW asks how many current graves are affected by the floods. DK- about 125 graves Donald continues to say the new land would be operated and maintained by the City. Nothing would change on operations that is currently predicted. Donald shows burial spaces left in Highland only amount to roughly 50-60 years of burials, but adding this KCA land would add well over 100 years of burial space. RW - How many burials do we do per year? DK- Between 100 - 120, which without a land expansion, doesn't leave a lot of time left before the cemetery is full. At this time I'm still waiting to hear correspondence back from Yolanda Ramos on when I can present this proposal. BB -There doesn't appear to be action needed on this now. We can call a special meeting if needed after you propose this to the KCA. VI. ADJOURN MOTION by Robert Williams; SECOND by Gerald "Deuce" Gragg AYES: Barry Beauchamp, Robert Williams, Gerald "Deuce" Gragg NAYS: None MOTION CARRIES 1 Meeting adjourned @ 2:30 p.m. 2