“Shall we discontinue the Board of Cemetery Trustees by delegating their duties and responsibilities to the Town Manager?”
What it means: The duties of the Board of Cemetery Trustees would be transferred to the Town Manager. The Cemetery Trustees, founded via a 1979 Special Town Meeting, currently manage the operation of the cemeteries, recommend items that require funding, and suggest funding mechanisms. In 2016, the voters approved a Warrant Article that allowed funds for maintenance of the cemeteries to be withdrawn from both the principal and the interest of the Cemetery Maintenance Trust. Having done so, funding for required maintenance is more straight-forward, as long as the principal (currently more than $600,000) lasts.
Those in favor say: The type of maintenance work required for the cemetery often involves coordination with the Town. By assigning these responsibilities to the Town Manager, duplication of effort is avoided.
Those opposed say: By definition, the Cemetery Board has a focus on the cemeteries, including physically walking them from time to time to learn what is needed. Some who were opposed to disbanding the Board worry that the focus will no longer be there, and the cemeteries will suffer.
Fiscal impact: No tax impact.