WE'RE OUT DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.  TODAY'S APRIL 17TH, 2024 FOR THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV. BACKSLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964.  WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT W M AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WE MAY PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO OUR COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS B INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. SHAME PACK AT AS H A AND E DOT P AC BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0280.  MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR YOUR APPROVAL AND APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,260,000 FOR THE CEMETERY DIVISION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE TRUST OFFICE OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO BE FUNDED FROM THE CEMETERY TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAPTER 13 OF THE ACTS OF 1961.  THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WITH REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY SEVEN, 2024. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE.  WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEPEN AND WILL TURN TO OUR COUNCILOR , MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS IN ORDER TO REVIVAL. COUNCILOR FLYNN THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE THIS MORNING FOR THEIR IMPORTANT WORK IN ENSURING THAT THE FUNDS GET TO THE CEMETERY AND THAT THE CEMETERY IS ABLE TO COMPLETE AND SUPPORT THE MISSION THE IMPORTANT MISSION THEY HAVE OF ENSURING THOSE THAT ARE BURIED THERE ARE TREATED AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE TREATED WITH THE UTMOST CARE, DIGNITY AND RESPECT.  SO HAPPY TO SUPPORT THESE GRANTS AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM FOR THE PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN.  COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR HOLDING THIS. TWO OF THESE CEMETERIES ARE RIGHT IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS OF MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK AND SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE US TRYING THROUGH THE WORK OF UPKEEP AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO LEARN AND TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT FUNDING AND THE WORK THAT'S NEEDED IN OUR CEMETERY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE.  WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BRAYTON CONCENTRATED IN ANY OPENING REMARKS.  YES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. EVERGREEN'S CEMETERY IS A LITTLE GEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD A CIVIL WAR ERA CEMETERY. IT'S THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF SO MANY OF OUR FOLKS FROM BRIGHTON. WE CALL IT GO VISIT THE STREETS BECAUSE ALL OF THE STREETS THAT ARE NAMED AFTER THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BURIED THERE I HAVE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR CAPACITY IN OUR CEMETERIES. AS WE I KNOW I SPOKE WITH CHRIS COOKE MANY YEARS AGO FOUR YEARS AGO PROBABLY BEFORE BEFORE COVID MAYBE ABOUT OUR CEMETERY CAPACITY AND WHETHER WHAT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE FOR RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR LATER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE DIGITIZING OF CEMETERY RECORDS.  ALL THE TREE TREE PRUNING AND ALL THE UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT GOES INTO THIS GRANT.  SO WE'RE JOINED BY TODAY'S PANEL THOMAS SULLIVAN, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT OF CEMETERIES AND MARGARET DYSON, DIRECTOR OF THE TRUST DIVISION FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR SOME MONEYS FROM THE TRUST FUND FOR THE CEMETERIES FOR FOR SOME UPKEEP THAT'S LONG OVERDUE.  I'LL JUST RUNDOWN THEM. I KNOW YOU WANT TO READ THE FORWARD OR DO YOU WANT TO?  THE FACELIFT OF THE MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY AS IS THE WROUGHT IRON FENCE. IT'S GOT A HISTORIC VALUE. IT USED TO RUN AROUND THE BOSTON COMMON AND THEN WE SHIFTED OVER TO MOUNT HOPE A LONG TIME AGO. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FENCE BUT IT'S VERY RUNDOWN. SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET DONE. THE OTHER IS THE DIGITIZATION OF RECORDS. WE HAVE OVER 250,000 DECEASED NAMES AND LOVED ONES IN OUR BURIAL GROUNDS AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THOSE. ALL OF OUR RECORDS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ON PEN AND PAPER AND TYPEWRITER BELIEVE IT OR NOT UP INTO THE CLOUD AND JOINED 2024 SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN THEN DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH, THEIR OWN GENEALOGY AND AND WE CAN BE MORE MORE HELPFUL TO THEM AS WELL AS MAKING ALL THE RECORDS SAFE.  AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S THE TREE WORK WHICH IS ALWAYS A NEED AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THAT DONE IN ALL THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES. AND JUST TO MENTION IT BIG PICTURE WE WE WE HAVE A STAFF OF ABOUT 23 PEOPLE. WE HAVE 19 CEMETERIES IN A CITY OWNED AND OPERATED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. 16 OF THOSE ARE HISTORIC THAT YOU SEE ON THE FREEDOM TRAIL AND IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS WE UPKEEP THEM AND BEAUTIFY THOSE. BUT MOST OF OUR FOCUS MUCH OF THE DAY IS SPENT WITH OUR THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES WHICH IS MT. HOPE CEMETERY IN MATTAPAN VIEW CEMETERY IN HYDE PARK AND EVERGREEN CEMETERY IN BRIGHTON. COLLECTIVELY ALL 19 MAKE UP ABOUT 270 ACRES OF LAND A BURIAL SPACE.  THE THREE ACTORS DO AN AVERAGE OF 6 TO 700 BURIALS PER YEAR BETWEEN THE THREE OF THEM. THE MOST ACTIVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE WAY THE NEW GRAVES ARE AVAILABLE TO BY WHEN YOU COME OFF THE STREET AND YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE THAT PASSED IS AT FAIRVIEW SO THAT'S THE MOST ACTIVE RIGHT NOW. SECOND TO THAT WOULD BE MOUNT HOPE. WHERE WE HAVE SPACE FOR INDIGENT BURIALS, WELFARE, WELFARE PEOPLE AND FOR VETERANS AND THEN AT LEAST ACTIVE IS EVERGREEN CEMETERY AND SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT LATER IS SPACE AND THAT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE SOMEDAY SOMEDAY AS WELL AS MAYBE OFFERING SOME SOME HERE WE OFFER FOR NICHES OR CREMATION SPACE AT EVERGREEN SO THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS CAN STAY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS A BIG NEED.  ST JOSEPH'S THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE THEY LIKE TO GO FROM BRIGHTON BECAUSE THERE'S NO SPACE AT EVERGREEN SO THAT'S A CONSTANT QUESTION GETTING ASKED. SO I JUST MENTIONED THAT WE GOT 23 PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH US THAT I WORK WITH.  THEY'RE GREAT PEOPLE. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. I LOVE BEING THERE AND BEING A PART OF THAT TEAM AND AS I SAID WE BURIED THE VETERANS FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON IN THE CITY POOR AND THEY DO A GREAT YOU ARE BEING PROFESSIONAL AND AND PROVIDING GOOD SERVICES.  SO THE CEMETERY TRUST IS ONE OF ABOUT 350 TRUSTS TO THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS MANY OF THESE TRUSTS ARE VERY TINY. SO WHAT I ALWAYS COME UP WITH IS I THINK WE HAVE ONE THAT HAS VOLUMES OF FRENCH LITERATURE FOR THE BRIGHTON BRANCH LIBRARY THAT PRODUCES A FEW DOLLARS A YEAR. THIS IS ONE OF OUR LARGER TRUSTS.  THE CITY HAS INVESTED AND REINVESTED THESE FUNDS UNTIL THE PRINCIPLE IN OUR ACCOUNT IS ABOUT $19 MILLION. THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 900,000 TO SPEND ANNUALLY.  WE DO A 5% OF OUR PRINCIPAL TO EXPAND. WE'RE EXPANDING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT THIS YEAR. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE'VE UNDERSPENT. NOT THAT THE NEED ISN'T THERE BUT THE CAPACITY TO DO THE WORK IS ALL ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.  SO WE ARE COMING IN TODAY WITH A REQUEST FOR JUST OVER 1.2 MILLION. THE IN 2021 THE TRUST DIVISION AND THE CEMETERIES DIVISION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORK TOGETHER TO DO A CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT OF THE THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES. WE HAD AT THAT POINT PROBABLY AN $11 MILLION BACKLOG SO IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO CATCH UP. BUT THESE INVESTMENTS ARE AN IMPORTANT SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE FOR THE CEMETERIES THAT RELY SO HEAVILY FOR THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION RUNS ON THE CITY'S BUDGET. BUT THIS IS FUNDS THAT CAN HELP US GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.  I THINK THAT THE SCANNING PROJECT WILL BE A HUGE RESOURCE FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN BOSTON CURRENTLY AND HAVE LIVED IN BOSTON IN THE PAST TO CONNECT WITH THE BURIAL SITES OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THESE ARE ALSO IMPORTANT OPEN SPACES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S ABOUT HOPE IS ALMOST 130 ACRES OF OPEN LAND IN AT THAT MATTAPAN ROSLINDALE BORDER SO KEEPING THEM ENVIRONMENTALLY HEALTHY, KEEPING THEM AN ASSET TO THEIR COMMUNITY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION AS WELL AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH TOM AND HIS CREW ON THAT PROJECT.  AWESOME. THANK YOU. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY BUT NOW TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS IN THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL.  COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO TOM AND TO MARGARET TO TRUMP. CAN YOU TELL US THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES IN 18 OR 19 INACTIVE CEMETERIES? HISTORICALLY FATHER THEM YES. OKAY. INACTIVES. YEAH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS? INACTIVE? SURE. AN ACTIVE CEMETERY IS A SPIT IS IS A CEMETERY THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON STILL HAS BURIALS WITHIN A WEEK. NOT RIGHT NOW.  WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW GRAVES PER SAY AT AT EVERGREEN OR MOUNT HOPE OTHER THAN VETERANS AND INDIGENT BURIALS. BUT WE HAVE NEW GRAVES AVAILABLE AT FAIRVIEW AND THOSE THREE THOSE THREE CEMETERIES BY DEFINITION IS WHERE WE STILL DO BURIALS. OKAY. THE COMPUTERIZED PROJECT THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT PLEASE.  SURE. SO WE'VE BEEN A WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT DONE FOR A WHILE AND MOST CEMETERIES IN 2024 HAVE THE INFORMATION WHERE IT'S A DATABASE WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN GO ONLINE AND WE SEARCH AND FIND THEIR LOVED ONES AND FIND OUT THEIR LOCATION AND EVEN FIND OUT THE CONDITION OF THE GRAVE AND AND THEY RESCUE ON IT AND YOU CAN YOU CAN LOOK AT THE GRAVE ITSELF IN REAL TIME. YOU CAN GET A MAP AND A WALKING PATH TO THE GRAVES. SO ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION THAT'S OUT NOW ON PAPER WITH US WOULD GO UP TO THE CLOUD, BE SAFE, BE THERE FOREVER AND IT WOULD BE USER FRIENDLY. SO IT'S SORT OF COMING INTO THAT INTO THE 2024 THAT WE LIVE IN AN EXCELLENT PROJECT.  TOM I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I'M GLAD YOU DID.  COMPASSIONATE BURIALS FOR VETERANS.  TELL TELL US WHAT YOU WERE DOING YOUR TEAM IS DOING IN SUPPORT OF VETERANS THAT ARE DECEASED. HOW HOW WERE YOU DOING THAT THOSE TYPES OF BURIALS IN ARE THEY INDIGENT BURIALS? ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES? JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THAT PLACE. SURE. SURE. SO AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN THERE, THE BURIALS FOR THE VETERANS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE AT MT. HOPE . WE JUST CLOSED THE KELLY LOT AND WE JUST OPENED A NEW SECTION CALLED THE WILLIAM CARTER NAMED AFTER WILLIAM CARTER UP ON BLUE HILL. F YEP. SO WE HAVE SPACE THERE I WOULD SAY WE HAVE YOU KNOW WITH THAT WITH THAT THAT NEW SECTION WE HAVE ABOUT 5 TO 10 YEARS DEPENDING ON THE RATE OF SPACE AVAILABLE FOR VETERANS.  WE DO ABOUT 100 BURIALS FOR VETERANS A YEAR ON AVERAGE.  THE CITY DOES DISCOUNT THAT OBVIOUSLY FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS AND ALL THE ALL THE FAMILIES HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BURIAL OF THE VETERAN IS AN OPENING CHARGE WHICH IS $1,000. THE OTHER IS WAIVED.  WE WORK WITH VETERAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER AND GENERAL MILLER AND THEY COORDINATE US. THEY GIVE US THE BLESSING FOR THE BURIAL SO THE PAPERWORK AND THAT SORT OF THING IS GETTING GIVEN THE APPROVAL FROM VETERANS SERVICES THEY COMMUNICATE WITH US AND THEN WE SCHEDULE THAT BURIAL WITH THE FAMILY. WE WE JUST GOT SOME NEW SIGNAGE FOR THE VETERANS BURIALS FOR THE VETERANS LOTS WHICH STAND OUT THAT SHOW THAT WE CARE. WE HAVE WE'VE GOT A MEMORIAL IN THE WORKS FOR WILLIAM COTTER IN STONE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CARTER POST TO DEDICATE THAT.  SO WE HOPE TO DO THAT SOMETIME THIS YEAR AND JUST A SMALL THING WE WE ARE RECENTLY GOT SOME VERY SMALL THING BUT A FLAG HOLD UP THAT HAS THE SUPPORT THAT THE MILITARY BRANCHES ON IT THAT WE OFFER TO THE FAMILY WITH A FLAG IN A IN A BOX THE DAY OF THE BURIAL FOR EACH FAMILY THAT PUTS THEIR LOVED ONE IN A VETERAN'S GRAVE . THANK YOU TOM AND I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.  JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE WILLIAM E CARTER AMERICAN LEGION POST. I'M A MEMBER OF THAT POST,  HONORED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE POST AND IT'S MOSTLY PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE FOCUSED ON HERE IN THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPORTING RETURNING VETERANS BUT VETERANS OF COLOR, WOMEN VETERANS, LGBTQ VETERANS SOMETHING THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY TO ME . MY FINAL QUESTION TO HIM I'D LIKE TO VISIT THAT CEMETERY MAYBE BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE WILLIAM CARTER AREA OF THE CEMETERY. IS THAT SOMETHING I CAN DO? MAYBE MID MID-MAY OR SO? YEAH, IN THE DAY I WOULD LOVE THAT.  THANK YOU, JOHN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OVERVIEW FOR ME AGAIN I JUST CONSIDER THIS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF HEARINGS ON OUR CEMETERIES AND IT'S IMPORTANT WE YOU KNOW, THE WAY IN WHICH WE INTERACT WITH IT IS OFTEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO THE LOUIS D.  BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO WITH HELPING BURY LOVED ONES AND SO THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER WORK YOU DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TO USE THEIR WORK IN THEIR LABOR AND FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES DUE TO GUN VIOLENCE AND TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS. SO THESE ARE THE THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES THAT IS OWNED BY THE CITY BUT THERE ARE OTHERS CEMETERIES OR THE OTHER CEMETERIES THEY STAYED OWNED OR THEY PRIVATELY HELD.  WHO HAS THE MAJORITY OF THE CEMETERY BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? I'M SURE THE MAJORITY WOULD BE PRIVATE. OKAY. SOME FOR PROFIT, SOME IN THEIR OWN TRUSTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.  SO I KNOW THE MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY WHICH IS RIGHT BY WHERE I LIVE THAT MATTAPAN ROSLINDALE HYDE PARK BORDER RIGHT RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER OF HARVARD AND I GUESS WOULD BE HARVARD AND CUMMINS IT IS IT IS THERE IS MOUNT CALVARY ALSO A CEMETERY THAT'S AND THAT'S PRIVATELY OWNED THAT IS RIGHT AND SO THE MAJORITY OF IT PERCENTAGEWISE IS THE MAJORITY PRIVATELY OWNED THE MAJORITY OF CEMETERIES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WOULD BE PRIVATELY OWNED. WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE? YEAH. SO WE WE ARE THE LOWEST COST CEMETERY IN THE CITY WHICH WE TRY TO KEEP IT THAT WAY AND SO SHAME SAME AMOUNT FOR FAIRVIEW AS FOR AS FOR MOUNT HOPE AS FOR EVERGREEN IF THERE WAS IF THERE WAS EVER GREEN WAS ACTIVE RIGHT SAME AMOUNT THE ONLY THE ONLY THE ONLY THE ONLY REASON VALUE NOW IS A LITTLE BIT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COSTLY IS BECAUSE WE SUPPLY TWO CONCRETE LINERS FOR THE LOVED ONES TO GO INTO WE CHARGE ON THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT 250 PER BOX IF YOU GET THAT FROM AN UNDERTAKER IT CAN BE UP TO A THOUSAND OR MORE. SO WE HAD THAT PRE-INSTALLED BUT THAT'S THE REASON FAIRVIEW WAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN IF WE BURIED WITHOUT THOSE BOXES WITH A WITH A FUNERAL HOME WOULD HAVE TO COME IN AND SUPPLY THAT SO NOT SO YEAH WE ARE WE ARE THE THE CHEAPEST CEMETERY IN TOWN WE HAVE CALVARY RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US LITERALLY AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT CAN BE LIKE YEAH WELL THAT'S CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE. YEAH YEAH YEAH WE AND THEN WE HAVE OAKLAWN UP THE STREET WHICH IS ON CUMMINS HIGHWAY NEAR HARVARD BUT ACROSS NEAR STOP AND DROP THAT THAT ONE IS VERY BUSY AS WELL THEY LET THEY LET THE FIRST DECEASED PAY AS THEY GO PER SE SO THEY'RE SLIGHTLY CHEAPER UP FRONT BUT IF YOU PAY EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE WE ARE CHEAPER SO SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT IS THERE A REASON WHY FOR THAT HYPER CONCENTRATION OF CEMETERIES AND THAT IN THAT ONE AREA YEAH GREAT QUESTION HISTORICALLY I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ALL IN THERE AND YOU HAVE THE ONE IN FOREST HILLS NOT SO FAR AWAY RIGHT RIGHT FOREST HILLS ST MICHAELS IS IN THE SAME AREA SO YEAH THERE'S THERE'S FOUR OR FIVE THAT ARE JUST RIGHT THERE WHEN FAMILIES ARE SHOPPING AROUND DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THIS IS A PRIVATE CEMETERY, THIS CITY OWNS IT. DO YOU THINK THE AVERAGE RESIDENT UNDERSTANDS OR DO THEY UNDERSTAND IT SORT OF WHEN THEY'RE CALLING AROUND AND FREAKING OUT TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE? YEAH, YEAH. WE WENT INTO THAT A LOT WHERE PEOPLE DON'T DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE'RE CITY OWNED, YOU KNOW, SO THAT HAPPENS A LOT AND PEOPLE DON'T REALLY FOCUS ON IT OR ASK THE QUESTIONS UNTIL THE TIME OF NEED. SO YEAH AND SO THIS WORK OF DIGITIZATION IS IT WORK THAT THE I'M NOT YOU MAY NOT KNOW COMPETITOR WHICH I THINK IS A FAIR STATEMENT OR IS IT WORK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE OH YEAH I'M SORRY TO SEE I HAD NOT THAT THE VENDOR YES YES IT'S THERE'S MANY VENDORS THAT ARE VERY CAPABLE AND ARE USED TO DOING IT AND HAVE SPECIFICALLY DONE JUST CEMETERIES AND THAT OTHER CEMETERIES IN THE AREA HAVE USED I WOULD SAY THAT MOST OF THE CEMETERIES IN THIS AREA YEAH.  DO YOU HAVE ONLINE RECORDS, ELECTRONIC RECORDS THAT YOU CAN ACCESS? I THINK WE'RE SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE CURVE. OKAY. THINK CATCHING ON. OKAY. IS THIS IS IT COMMON IN IN CITIES AT THE CITY'S OWN CEMETERY LIKE IS THIS A COMMON PRACTICE AND AND I GUESS I I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN INVESTING IN WHAT A PUBLIC GOOD AND SO THIS IS ME ACTIVELY THINKING A LOT ABOUT A CEMETERY BEING A PUBLIC GOOD THIS IS ME ASKING YOU TO ENGAGE IN THAT. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY TO OWN THESE PARTS OF THESE ACREAGE THESE ACRES THAT IS IT TO PROVIDE A MORE AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO OUR FAMILIES? IS IT BECAUSE HISTORICALLY THESE CEMETERIES HAVE BEEN OWNED PUBLICLY AND SO WE'RE JUST CONTINUING THAT? YEAH. YEAH, I THINK IT'S A PUBLIC GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE OFFERING I THINK THAT IN A TIME OF TOUGH NEED A REAL A REAL SERVICE TO THEM AT A VERY I WISH IT WAS CHEAPER BUT AT A DECENT PRICE AND ONE OF THE LOWEST PRICES THAT THEY'LL FIND AND I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S HUGE I CAN TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY KIND OF YOU KNOW, BUY A PLOT IN MOUNT HOPE BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES ALREADY THERE.  IT'S REALLY PART OF THE CULTURE IN ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS. YEAH, EVERGREEN ALL OVER SO I THINK I THINK IT IS A PUBLIC GOOD I THINK IT'S A IT'S A BIG SERVICE I THINK WHEN WE WHEN WE TWEET THINGS AND MAKE CHANGES I THINK THE COMMUNITY NOTICES AND I THINK THEY HEAR SO YEAH I THINK I THINK IT IS I THINK IT IS A BIG THING AND IT IS COMMON CAMBRIDGE CEMETERY HAS A CEMETERY LIKE MOST TOWNS HAVE A CEMETERY AS WELL AS THAT'S THE SERVICES OF WORKING WITH THE PEACE INSTITUTE, THE VETERANS SERVICES, THE CITY, THE CITY FOR THE INDIGENT BURIALS THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RIDE THAT YOU KNOW IF YOU CALL SAINT JOE'S CEMETERY WAS ROXBURY OR IF YOU CALL OAKLAWN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HELP YOU. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A BREAK IN THE PRICE AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE FULL LOAD ALL THE WAY. SO WE OFFER SOME REALLY IMPORTANT SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW ARE OFTEN SCRAMBLING FOR MONEY.  AND I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE NOTICED ABOUT THE PUBLIC CEMETERIES IS YOU HAVE A MUCH WIDER RANGE OF RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OR NON-RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS REPRESENTED. IT'S A PLACE FOR BURIALS THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY AFFILIATED WITH ONE FAITH AND I THINK THAT AS WE SEE MORE AND MORE BOSTONIANS WHO ARE NOT WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A STRONG FAITH TRADITION WHEN WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEONE YOU DO TEND TO REVERT TO THE TRADITIONS THAT YOU KNOW AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A BURIAL IN A BURIAL PLACE IS VERY REAL. SO IF YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO BE AFFILIATED WITH AN EPISCOPAL TRADITION OR A CATHOLIC TRADITION OR A JEWISH TRADITION ,YOU HAVE AN OPTION WHERE YOU HAVE PEOPLE OF MANY FAITHS BURIED TOGETHER. THANK YOU. MY AUNT AND MY AND HER DAUGHTER ARE BURIED AT MOUNT HOPE AND SO IT HAS BEEN UP LIKE YOU SAID. THAT'S JUST WHERE WE BURY OUR LOVED ONES AND MY FAMILY. SO THANK YOU.  AND I DRIVE BY IT EVERY DAY AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.  I KNOW THAT YOU WORK WITH THE HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN FAIRVIEW TO GET THAT A GREAT SITE FOR THE HEADSTONE FOR REBECCA CRUMPLER, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN DOCTOR IN THE UNITED STATES. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU FOR EDUCATING ME DURING THIS TIME AND I'M GOING TO BE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS GRANT AND CONSIDER MYSELF IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT TO AMPLIFY THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. I'M HAPPY TO HELP DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILOR BREADON.  THANK YOU.  SO I'M CURIOUS YOU SAID THERE WAS 350 TRUSTS. I'M GOING TO ASK SLIGHTLY AND YOU SAY SOME OF THEM ARE MINUSCULE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ONE. THIS THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ONE. HOW HAS IT BEEN IN PLACE FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE I COULD SEE WELL, SO THIS PARTICULAR TRUST WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE ACTS OF 1961.  IT WAS A REPLACEMENT FOR A TRUST THAT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 1913 THIS STATE BASICALLY MOVED IT FROM HOW IT EXISTED IN 1913. IN 1961 TO THIS SETTING UP AND MAINTAINING AS A FUND SEPARATE FROM ALL OTHER MONEY AND ACCOUNTS IN THE CITY A CEMETERY TRUST WONDERFUL AND A VERY PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF IT. THE 5% DRAWDOWN IS A SORT OF STANDARD BECAUSE I NOTICE WITH DRAWN DOWN LIKE 900 K OR 950 K A YEAR ON YEAR ON YEAR FROM FOR MANY YEARS RECENTLY. WELL AND WE'RE BENEFITING FROM THE PRUDENT DECISIONS OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE US TO INVEST AND REINVEST AND BUILD BUILD THAT TRUST. VERY GOOD.  SO EVERGREEN THAT'S WHERE MY PARTNER'S FAMILY IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPACE NEEDS A LITTLE AND I SEE YOU'RE GOING TO REPAIR, PRUNE AND REMOVE SOME TREES. I'M PROBABLY THE ONE THAT CUT THOSE TREES WHEN I WAS GOING OH MY GOODNESS THERE'S A TREE IS GOING TO FALL ON SOMEBODY. SO IT REALLY DOES NEED A LITTLE LOVE IN TERMS OF THE THE WALKWAYS AND THE LANDSCAPING AND AGAIN THINKING ABOUT CAPACITY I DON'T KNOW THERE'S ANY THOUGHT ABOUT YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT CREMATIONS OR EVEN REPLANTING MORE TREES, THE WALKWAYS AND THE WALLS ARE ALL SORT OF FALLING DOWN AND IT'S IT'S SEEN BETTER DAYS. IT REALLY WAS A BEAUTIFUL I'M SURE IT IS GLORY DAYS IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL IT IS STILL IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE BUT NEEDS SOME LOVE.  ARE THERE ANY ANY SORT OF PLANS TO YOU KNOW AND THERE ARE SPACES AND I LOOK I'M ASSUMING MAYBE MAYBE BURIAL PLACES FOR CHILDREN OR SOMETHING THAT DON'T HAVE MARKERS BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT USED FOR MAYBE IT'S LED TO UNDERNEATH I DON'T KNOW YOU'RE FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS. I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO NEW SPACE TO GO IN THERE.  THERE ARE CERTAINLY WE BURIED THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE CURRENTLY OWN GRAVES AND THIS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO USE THEM. SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE A PRESENCE OVER THERE. WE HAVE A CREW OVER THERE. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH A FEW YEARS AGO TO GET THE WHOLE PLACE REPAVED SO THE ROADWAYS ARE NEW AND THAT WAS A BLESSING. THANKS TO YOU GUYS.  UM, NEW SIGNAGE WENT IN AND WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP IT THE HISTORIC TYPE OF SIGNAGE WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL CLEAN UP ANOTHER BLESSING.  YEAH YEAH WE DEFINITELY HAVE HAD THOUGHTS AND WE'D LOVE TO GET YOUR $0.02 IN YOUR AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON ON SOME SPACE THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR WHETHER IT'S A CREMATION LIGHT UP NEAR B.C WE NEED B.C IN THE FRONT THERE'S A SMALL WOODED AREA THERE. YEAH SOMETHING COULD WORK THERE FOR SURE AND AS WELL AS WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT HALF AN ACRE TO ALMOST A FULL ACRE IN THE REAR OF THE CEMETERY THAT ABUTS THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. SO THIS SPACE IN THE BACK OF EVERGREEN THAT IS JUST COMPLETELY UNDEVELOPED.  YEAH, IT'S JUST A MEADOW. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING SOMEDAY AND THEN THERE'S A SPACE IN BACK THERE THAT SORT OF USED FOR COMPOSTING AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IT'S IT'S PRETTY ROUGH PRETTY ROUGH BACK THERE. WELL, THAT'S THE OTHER AGAIN THIS YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBABLY A FEW ACRES BACK THERE THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO YEAH THAT'S SOME SPACE THAT IS SUCH AS OUR COMPOST PILE RIGHT NOW. COMPOST PILE. YEAH. YEAH WE'D LOVE TO DEVELOP IT AND THEN IN TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT OUR CAPACITY AS A CITY LIKE WE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES TO GO TO DIFFERENT CEMETERIES AS A PRECEDENT.  THE REGION'S ALREADY MENTIONED YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF MY CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS COOK YEARS AGO WAS YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF SPACE.  HOW HOW HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE CAPACITY ISSUE GOING FORWARD? YEAH, IT'S IT'S A TOUGH ONE. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REAL SPACE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE A SMALL PATCH BEHIND EVERGREEN AT FAIRVIEW WE HAVE AN AREA TO THE RIGHT AS YOU ENTER WHICH IS A SIMILAR TYPE OF COMPOST AREA FOR US RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON COMPOST PILE THAT A SECTION COULD GO IN THE END BUT THE TRUTH IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE DIGGING UP ROADS TO CREATE BURIAL SPACE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. SO SO WE'RE TAKING AN OLD ROAD AND REPLANTING IT AND CREATING A SECTION AND OBVIOUSLY THAT CAN ONLY GO ON SO LONG. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S AN ISSUE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE OF AN ISSUE AT THE CURRENT BALANCE.  UM, YOU KNOW WE HAVE WE HAVE 5 TO 7 YEARS OF BURIAL SPACE AVAILABLE ON PAPER NOW THAT IS LAID OUT READY BUT IT'S IT'S A DELICATE ECOSYSTEM OF IF THE CEMETERY NEXT TO US OR THE ONE ON THE ONCOMING HIGHWAY CLOSES WHICH THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT SUDDENLY THAT THAT 5 TO 7 YEARS IS GOING TO BECOME 3 TO 5 AND TO JUST SEE A MASS OF YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BURIAL DEMAND DURING COVID LIKE I IMAGINE WE HAD A LOT OF AN ABNORMAL INCREASE. WE DID WE DID FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF BURIALS DURING COVID. YEAH.  AND THEN ALSO THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE CHOOSING CREMATION BUT ALSO THIS GREAT INTEREST INCREASING INTEREST IN GREEN BURIALS AND COMPOSTING OF REMAINS AS WE PASS TO THE NEXT WORLD. ARE WE LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVES TO JUST THE TRADITIONAL EMBALMING BODY GOING INTO A INTO A GRAVE THAT'S GOT CONCRETE LINERS AND ALL OF THAT LIKE A MORE A MORE GREEN OPTION RIGHT.  WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GREEN AVAILABLE YET. IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN ON MY MIND AND OUR MIND WE'RE OPEN TO IT. I'M IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE MASS CEMETERY ASSOCIATION FORMER BOARD MEMBER AND I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THAT WAY.  THEY'RE NOT SEEING A HUGE DEMAND FOR IT. I WISH THAT WE SAW A BIGGER DEMAND FOR CREMATION BUT WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT THERE YET LIKE OTHER PLACES.  BUT YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO THAT AS WELL AS MAYBE A SCATTERING GARDEN THEY CALL IT WHERE THE ASHES CAN BE SCATTERED AND A NAME IS PUT ON A GENERAL MEMORIAL WITH MANY OTHER NAMES. SOME PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING THAT IN OTHER AREAS BUT DEFINITELY TO OPEN UP TO ALL THOSE IDEAS. YEAH WELL IT SEEMS SORT OF SORT OF SLIGHTLY URGENT. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF GROUND AND IN 5 TO 7 YEARS THIS IS THEORY . YEAH. AND ON THAT NOTE WE HAVE CREMATION SPACE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE A NICHE WALLET OF THE CEMETERY THAT YOU CAN GET BURIED UP THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, A LOW PRICE OF ABOUT $1,000. WE PUT IN ABOUT 300 NATURAL SPACES. WE'VE SOLD ABOUT 20. YEAH, WE DID THAT ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. YEAH, WE HAVE WE HAVE CREMATION SPACE JUST FOR CREMATION AT MOUNT HOPE.  YEAH. WE DON'T SELL A LOT OF THEM SO THAT'S I WISH I WISH THERE WAS MORE OF A POOL FOR THAT BUT RIGHT NOW THERE ISN'T. BUT THERE IS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR A A MUCH CHEAPER WAY TO GET BURIED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. IT'S JUST WHETHER IT'S CULTURALLY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR WHATEVER WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT HUGE POOL. YEAH, I WISH WE WERE BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO GO AND SCATTER THEIR ASHES TO ASHES SOMEWHERE THEIR FAVORITE SPOT OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW? YEAH, YEAH. AND WE THANK YOU.  WHAT MAKES US THINK ABOUT CELEBRATING? WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR DURKAN OR COUNCILOR MURPHY THE FORAGERS.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE VERY INFORMATIVE AND I ALWAYS SAY WHEN YOU'RE THIRD OR FOURTH YOUR COLLEAGUES ALWAYS ASK GREAT QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TOUCHED ON BECAUSE MY GRANDFATHER IS BURIED AT MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY BUT THE REST OF MY FAMILY, MY SON AND MY OTHER GRANDPARENTS ARE BURIED AT CEDAR GROVE AND I WOULD ALWAYS ASK LIKE HOW COME PAPA MURPHY WASN'T BURIED HERE? AND IT WAS BECAUSE BACK THEN IT WAS CONSIDERED A JEWISH CEMETERY SO HE WAS BURIED AT MOUNT HOPE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ANY TIME WE VISITED.  I ALWAYS LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL AND IT REMINDS ME ALSO OF , YOU KNOW, THIS PUBLIC GOOD WE HAVE AND WHEN WE HAVE I'M ALSO MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN WE GO TO THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. SO I THINK OF LIKE HEALTH CENTERS ARE PLACES WHERE YOU KNOW, THEIR MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS THE SERVICES THEY NEED. AND YOUR MISSION AS A PUBLIC CEMETERY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO NEED TO BE BURIED DO WITH DIGNITY. SO YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE VETERANS BUT OTHERS TOO. BUT IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO NEED TO RIGHT. PEOPLE CHOOSE IT. AND SO THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE LEFT YOU SAID ALREADY LIKE 5 TO 7 YEARS AND EVEN IF PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO BE CREMATED THEY OFTEN THEN ARE BURIED RIGHT? SO THEY TAKE UP THE SPACE ALSO WHICH MY FATHER DID IS WHERE I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD THING BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A SPACE WHERE IT'S LIKE CRISIS TIME AND I KNOW IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT CEDAR GROVE LIKE YOU SAID THEY'RE BUYING UP THE BACKYARDS.  THEY'RE TAKING DOWN WHAT USED TO BE CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, TREES SPACE.  AND SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TIME LEFT BUT AT WHAT POINT WILL WE BE IN KIND OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION BECAUSE THE CITY WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT MISSION OF MAKING SURE WE BURY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE BURIED RIGHT. THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON MY MIND A LOT AND YEAH, THAT'S GONNA BE A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION FOR FOR ALL OF US TO THINK OF AS A CITY OF WHEN WE HIT WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD LIKE I SAID 5 TO 7 YEARS RIGHT NOW THERE IS SPACE TO TO PLAN FOR YOU KNOW ANOTHER 5 TO 7 AFTER THAT IT'S GOING TO GET DICEY. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR SOME EITHER TOUGH ANSWERS OR YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NOT THE BEST IDEA TO THROW DO THAT. YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE A COUPLE OF CEMETERIES WHEN YOU CAN THROW SOME HOUSING UP. SO IT'S A TOUGH BATTLE.  I GET THAT THERE'S A THERE'S A PUBLIC WORKS WILL KILL ME BUT THERE'S A COMPOST YARD ON AMERICAN LEGION HIGHWAY THAT I WOULD LOVE TO LOVE TO GET SOME DAY YEAH I WISH I WISH THE STATE DIDN'T GIVE MASS BIOLOGIC THE SPACE FROM THE OLD THERE WERE THE OLD SANATORIUMS AND STUFF ON WHAT ON BLACK HILL STREET THERE WAS ACRES OF LAND BACK THERE AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL BUT I MEAN I KNOW THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK IN MASS BIOLOGIC ALSO BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT WAS PRECIOUS LAND FOR BURIAL SPACE IN AN AREA THAT IT WOULD FIT IN YOU KNOW SO YEAH IT'S IT'S A QUESTION I DON'T KNOW IF SIMPLY IT GET TO A POLICY OF HEY WE JUST DOING CREMATION NOWADAYS I HATE TO SEE THAT THAT THAT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR FALL I JUST GREENS GREEN BURIALS BUT YEAH I MEAN IN THE BIG PICTURE IN THE NEXT 15 TO 20 YEARS SOMEONE'S GONNA HAVE TO MAKE UP A JUST MAKE A DECISION TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. NO BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTING THESE GRANTS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOUR DEPARTMENT NEEDS WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS, CARSON. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FOR COUNCIL DUCK ENCLOSURES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I CAME TODAY TO LEARN BUT AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SUBJECT BUT I'M FASCINATED THAT THE CITY HAS A CEMETERY DIVISION AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WAS AWARE OF PRIOR TO THIS HEARING SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TRUST. JUST CURIOUS DOES IS THE CEMETERY DIVISION INVOLVED WITH SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHO ARE YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY LIKE SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN TERMS OF BURIAL THERE?  THERE ARE PROGRAMS THE CITY MAKES A LARGE CONTRIBUTION TO THE TO THE HOMICIDE VICTIMS FUNDS AND THAT THAT MONEY WORKS ITS WAY TOWARDS HELPING PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH TRAGEDY BURY THE DECEASED. WE HAVE VERY AFFORDABLE PRICES FOR VETERAN'S BURIALS. WE'RE A CITY OF AND VETERANS CAN GET BURIED FOR AT LOW COST AND THEN WE HAVE WE ALSO HAVE AN INDIGENT BURIAL SECTION WHERE IF YOU ARE YOU KNOW HOMELESS INDIGENT HAVING TROUBLE LIKE THAT THAT WE VALUE FOR FREE. NO THANK YOU AND JUST CURIOUS WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL FACE DOING THE WORK THAT YOU DO OBVIOUSLY I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SPACE AS A COMPONENT OF THIS BUT BUT WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES ARE THERE AND APOLOGIES FOR NOT KNOWING MORE THE CITY OF BOSTON SUCH A BEHEMOTH AND AS SOMEONE WHO NEVER SERVED IN CITY GOVERNMENT IT'S LIKE I'M LEARNING SOMETHING EVERY DAY. YEAH I THINK I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR US RIGHT NOW IS I THINK THE WORRY OF SPACE AND THE FUTURE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THE SUBJECT OF BURIALS AND TRY TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES THAT WE NOW PROVIDE FOR RESIDENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES AND HOW THAT CAN CONTINUE INTO THE NEXT 30 OR 40 YEARS. WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD ROADS THAT NEED REPAVING. SO THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME BIG BUDGET ITEMS THAT REALLY NEED SOME LOVE AT AT ESPECIALLY AT FAIRVIEW IN MOUNT HOPE. SO WE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUFF THAT'S SORT OF BEEN IGNORED FOR A WHILE AND IN TERMS OF THE CEMETERIES THAT EXIST IN THE CITY ARE A LOT OF THEM ARE PRIVATELY OWNED I'M JUST CURIOUS A LOT OF THEM ARE ALONG THE FREEDOM TRAIL AND YOU KNOW I SEE A LOT OF THE TOURIST ACTIVITY AND JUST CURIOUS SORT OF DOES THE CEMETERY DIVISION HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THOSE PRIVATE CEMETERIES WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ONES ALONG THE FREEDOM TRAIL. THOSE ARE CITY OF BOSTON OWN AND THEY'RE UNDER OUR UMBRELLA AS WELL. SO WE JUST BEAUTIFY THOSE, CUT THE GRASS AND KEEP THEM CLEAN AND WE DON'T BUT WE NO LONGER DO BURIALS THERE. AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION JUST CURIOUS FOR MY OWN YOU KNOW, I I GREW UP IN A VERY RELIGIOUS PLACE RURAL GEORGIA AND WE HAD A CERTAIN ETIQUETTE AROUND CEMETERIES. I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU GUYS HAVE SORT OF A POSITION OR AN ETIQUETTE BECAUSE I SEE THE MENTION OF THIS PROVIDING BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACES AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT SORT OF ACTIVITIES YOU WOULD FIND APPROPRIATE. WELL, YEAH, WE I MEAN WE HAVE A LOT OF WE HAVE A LOT OF WALKERS ESPECIALLY FROM COVID. I'M IT'S GOTTEN EVEN MORE POPULAR AND WE ALLOW YOU KNOW EVEN THE EVEN THE DOG WALKERS TO COME IN IF THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT COME IN AND LITERALLY PICNIC IN FRONT OF THEIR LOVED ONES GRAVES WE HAVE ACTIVITIES WHERE THE BOSTON POLICE HAVE THEIR ANNUAL CEREMONY THERE WE HAVE VETERANS SERVICES THAT ORGANIZES A LARGE MEMORIAL DAY EVENT THERE AND A PARADE SO THAT SORT OF STUFF. BUT YEAH, WE REGULARLY HAVE FAMILIES THAT COME, WE KNOW THEM AND THEY SIT IN FRONT OF THEIR LOVED ONES GRAVE NO IT YEAH JUST REMINDS ME SOME OF THE SENTIMENTAL MOMENTS MY FAMILY AND I HAVE HAD IN FRONT OF OUR FAMILIES GRAVESITES AND IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT SUCH IMPORTANT WORK THAT THAT YOU DO AND YOU KNOW THOUGH NOPE, THEY'RE NO LONGER HERE THAT SPACE IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER THEM. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK SCOTT THANK YOU COUNCILOR . DEREK IN THE TIME I WANT TIMELINE FOR THE TREE PRUNING IN THE DEFENSE ON MOUNT HOPE YOU THINK SO THE PLANS FOR THE FENCE ARE READY IT WAS UH IT CAME IN A LITTLE HIGHER AND SO THIS IS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING BUT THEY ARE READY TO GO OUT TO BID FOR IT AND TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION DEPENDING ON THE PRICES THEY GET PROBABLY IN THE FALL.  THE TREE WORK IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.  THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FUND SOME TREE WORK AT THE CEMETERIES WHICH IS HUGELY IMPORTANT. THIS IS AGAIN SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO EXPAND THAT WORK.  ALSO ONE OF THE COUNSELORS ASKED THE QUESTION OF TREE PLANTING WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY'S NEW TREE DIVISION TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PLANTING SUPPORT FROM THEM AS WELL BECAUSE.  THE TREE CANOPY IS A HUGE PART OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE CEMETERIES BUT I WOULD SAY ONGOING.  YEAH. I MEAN I THINK THIS WAS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE DEFENSE.  YEAH SO YEAH I MEAN I THINK THE TREE CONTRACTORS WERE WHERE WE COULD GET IT COULD BE TRYING TO RUN RELATIVELY QUICKLY AND THE DIGITIZATION ALSO WE'VE TALKED TO A FEW VENDORS THAT ARE GOING TO BID OBVIOUSLY IT'S A BIG NUMBER AS IT SHOULD AND THAT COULD I MEAN I THINK THAT'D BE YOU KNOW, BE STARTED IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO AND THEN GARRETT DYSON, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU GAVE $11 MILLION WAS THAT OH SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE TRUST OFFICE WORKING WITH TOM WAS TO DO A CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT OF THE THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES. SO WE HIRED A FIRM, WENT OUT INVENTORY, PAID EVERY INCH OF PAVEMENT ALL OF THE FENCES,  ALL OF THE HEADSTONES MANY OF WHICH ARE TIPPED OVER WHICH WE NEED TO RESET SO TREES PLANTINGS, PATHWAYS, SIGNAGE IT'S OUR PRIMARY COMMITMENT AS A CITY IS TO THE LIVING WHICH MAKES VERY GOOD SENSE. SO THE CEMETERIES SOMETIMES COMES ART PRIORITIZED THE SAME WAY AS A BALL FIELD OR A RECREATION AREA FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE NOW. SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT DELAYED IN TERMS OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND STAFFING SUPPORT BECAUSE THOSE PROJECT MANAGERS ARE ALSO DOING THESE OTHER VITAL VITAL PROJECTS FOR THE CITY. BUT THE BACKLOG IS ABOUT $11 MILLION OR WAS THREE YEARS AGO. THOSE COSTS CONTINUE TO GO UP BUT WE'VE WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PRIORITIZE SOME THINGS AND TRY TO BALANCE THE INVESTMENT BETWEEN THE THREE SITES. BUT YES, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE NEXT 11 YEARS TO SHOW THAT TO YOU, YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO KIND OF GET THAT ASSESSMENT LOOKING DOWN BY THE THREE ACTIVE SITES. YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT HAPPY TO SHARE A CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT. I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE EVERGREEN JUST TO SEE IT THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS EYES.  I THINK ALL OF THAT WORK IS IS VITAL AND I JUST WANT TO JUST GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO SOME ADVOCATES ALFREDA HARRIS AND LISA BATEMAN WHO CONSTANTLY ADVOCATE FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF TREES AT MOUNT HOPE. BUT WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR ANY SECOND ROUND. COUNCILOR CALIBRATED THE FLOOR IS YOURS. I'M ALSO CURIOUS THE EVERGREEN IS HISTORIC LIKE CIVIL WAR ERA CEMETERY WHEN YOU WALK AROUND. THE OTHER THING THAT STRIKES ME IS THAT THIS THE WAVES OF IMMIGRANTS THAT CAME LIKE WE HAVE ARMENIAN GRAVES, CHINESE GRAVES, GREEK GRAVES,  VIETNAMESE GRAVES YOU NAME IT THEY'RE IN THERE AND THEN WE HAVE THE OLD SORT OF BRAHMIN FAMILIES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FOUNDERS OF THIS OF BRIGHTON LITTLE CAMBRIDGE WAY BACK WHEN SOME OF WHOM WERE RELOCATED FROM THE MARKET STREET AND CEMETERY THE MARKET STREET BURYING GROUND AND BRIGHTON CENTER WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1764 LONG TIME AGO.  I'M JUST WONDERING IN TERMS OF YOUR REMIT, DO YOU HAVE I KNOW THERE WAS AN OPEN SPACE PLAN 2022 2002 TO 2006 THEY HAD A PLAN IS THERE AN UPDATED PLAN FOR THE MORE HISTORIC CEMETERIES AS WELL AS THE ACTIVE CEMETERIES THAT YOU MANAGE? YEAH. SO I'LL CHECK WITH KELLY THOMAS, A COORDINATOR FOR THAT. I THINK THAT'S THE LAST ONE BUT IT IS A NEW ONE SO WE'RE GOING BACK YEARS.  IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE TIME TO DUSTED OFF. YEAH, I MEAN REVISE IT A LITTLE MAYBE FOR THE HISTORIC YES. YEAH YEAH I NEED TO I CAN GET YOU A BUNCH OF MENTION ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THERE FOR FIVE STONE REPAIR LIKE A COLLAPSED HILL CEMETERY AND OTHER THINGS INCLUDING MARKET STREET CEMETERY. I CAN I CAN GET YOU THAT AND I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR THE NEXT GO AROUND. YEAH, AND I'LL BE REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR EVERGREEN. I KNOW LIKE IT STRIKES ME THAT I DON'T KNOW IF CEMETERIES HAVE FRIENDS GROUPS THEY SORT OF IT IS A BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE TO LIVE IN. YOU KNOW IT IS AN INCREASINGLY DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD.  I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE NIECE OF MICHAEL. HE'S A VET. HE'S A HISTORICAL GUY OUT OF BRIGHTON AND HE'S HE'S GOT SOME FUND FUNDING THAT HE'S FOUND TO REPAIR SOME GRAVES OVER THERE. SO YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,  ABSOLUTELY. AND SO IS IT IS IT A FRIENDS GROUP LIKE I'M NOT AWARE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FRIENDS OF EVERGREEN CEMETERY.  WE'VE WORKED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THEY'VE DONE TOWARDS THE OTHER DONE TOWARDS AT MARKET STREET. YEAH YEAH I KNOW WE DO HISTORIC ENACTMENTS WE ALL GET DRESSED UP AT HALLOWEEN AND TRIPS AROUND LIKE STREET CEMETERY PERIOD COSTUMES.  YEAH THIS IS GOOD. SO WHENEVER I RECOMMEND THE RECENT REPORT AND THEN SHOWING ANY ANY NEW UPDATES OPEN SPACE PLAN FOR THE THE HISTORIC AND CEMETERIES WOULD BE WONDERFUL OKAY THANK YOU THANK YOU YOU CHECK WITH CENTER STAFF OH SORRY CARCINOGENIC ON THE FLOOR JOYCE THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND NOT TO PUSH MY OWN AGENDA BUT I HAD A PROPOSAL FOR A MERCHANDISE LICENSING PROGRAM IN THE CITY TO ESSENTIALLY AND IT JUST A LITTLE LIGHT BULB WENT OFF THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE OWN SOME OF THE CEMETERIES AND SOME OF THE FAMOUS LUMINARIES THAT ARE BURIED THERE AND I JUST HAD A CALL WITH NEW YORK'S MERCHANDISE LICENSING AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WALK AROUND THE FREEDOM TRAIL AND YOU WALK AROUND SOME OF THESE THINGS, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE SELLING MERCH THINKING THROUGH LIKE YOU KNOW, AS THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FINDING SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE REVENUE, THAT MIGHT DRIVE REVENUE AND MIGHT BE COST NEUTRAL IN THE SENSE OF LIKE YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THE CEMETERIES DIVISION THROUGH MAYBE TEASE OR I CAN IMAGINE LIKE A PAIN WHERE IT'S LIKE I, I SAW PAUL REVERE'S GRAVE OR YOU KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT JUST JUST FLAGGING THAT AND YOU KNOW NOW THINK ABOUT THE CEMETERY DIVISION AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.  SO YES SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND AND JUST KNOWING THAT LIKE TOURISM AND YOU KNOW THERE IS SUCH A CONNECTION HERE BECAUSE BOSTON IS SUCH A HISTORIC CITY AND WE HAVE YOU KNOW, IN THE SENSE OF LIKE PEOPLE REALLY DO WANT TO KNOW THE HISTORY. THEY DO WANT TO KNOW WHO'S BURIED HERE. THEY DO WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW AND WHO FOUNDED THE CITY.  IT'S SUCH A HISTORIC AND REVOLUTIONARY CITY SO SO I WILL THANK AND LOOK FORWARD TO REACHING OUT TO YOU GUYS TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.  IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT GOES AND THE GHOST AND GRAVESTONE TOURS ALL THOSE PEOPLE MAKE A LOT OF MONEY OFF OUR CEMETERY SO IT'D BE GREAT TO GET SOMETHING BACK.  THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. PLEASE COME DOWN OR SAY SOMETHING ON ZOOM AND STATE YOUR NAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND OR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION.  SO PLEASE PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES AND LISA BATEMAN THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  LISA, ARE YOU THERE?  YES, COUNSELOR.  WELL, THANK YOU FOR CALLING ON ME . CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME ? YES. WONDERFUL AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR FOR THIS THIS HEARING.  SO LISA BATEMAN, CO-CHAIR OF THE MOUNT HOPE CANTERBURY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN EASTERN ROSLINDALE WE ARE OF COURSE WE HAVE THE MOUNT HOPE KANAB THE MOUNT HOOD CEMETERY AS A GREENSPACE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH ABUTS MATTAPAN. WE HOWEVER DO NOT HAVE WALKABLE PARKS IN THIS AREA SO SO THE CEMETERY SERVES MULTIPLE PURPOSES FOR INTERMENT AND ALSO FOR PASSIVE RECREATION.  SO I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE THE BUDGET LINE ITEM AND ASK ADVOCATE FOR A THINGS THAT MOUNT A CEMETERY REALLY REALLY NEEDS AND ONE OF THEM IS MORE FUNDING REPLACE THE OVER 100 MATURE TREES THAT HAVE DIED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES THAT'S NUMBER TWO IS SOME PARK BENCHES AND NUMBER THREE IS A MONUMENT TO COMMEMORATE THE THOUSANDS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SPANISH FLU VICTIM AND PAUPER'S GRAVES THAT ARE BURIED THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LISA. LISA RICK YODER, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  RICK, ARE YOU THERE?  RICK, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? YEAH, THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS I HAVE TO CLICK TO GET IN THERE. THANK YOU. I'M ALSO THIS IS RICKY ORDER THE MOUNT HOPE AND KIND OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO THE OTHER CO-CHAIR AND I. I WANTED TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT SULLIVAN FOR ALL THE WORK HE AND HIS CREW HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS TO HELP TO MAINTAIN MOUNT HOP CEMETERY.  IT, AS LISA IS SAYING, IS THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO A PARK AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY EMBRACES THAT AND USES THAT EVERY DAY FOR PASSIVE RECREATION I HAVE A POND IN THE CENTER THERE'S WILDLIFE OF HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF TREES WEAVING WALKWAYS A LOT LIKE PECAN OR STEEL CEMETERY LAYERED ON IT'S IT'S OVER 100 OVER 100 YEARS OLD CEMETERY EVERY WAR FROM THE CIVIL WAR AS REPRESENTED BY THE VETERANS WHO ARE BURIED THERE AND IT'S AND I'M AND UNFORTUNATELY AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT HERE IT REALLY DOES NEED A LOT OF MORE HELP IT'S OVER THE MANY YEARS IT'S JUST HAS AND MAINTENANCE TOO SO THAT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE NEED BUT CRUEL WORKS VERY HARD. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH OF THEM AND THEY'RE SPREAD ALL OVER THE CITY ARE TOO MUCH FOR THEM TO DO SO ANY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS TO HELP AND THIS WORK WOULD BE REALLY APPRECIATED.  AND THEN ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO I HAD MY OWN OF THE DEAD TREES STANDING DEAD TREES AND THESE ARE 30 TO 4050 FEET TALL, DEAD TREES AND I CAME UP WITH SOMETHING SHORT OF THREE SHORT OF A HUNDRED BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE TO CUT THESE THINGS DOWN AND CHOP THEM UP. BUT THANK YOU, RICK.  OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. SO THIS GRANT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST JUST ONE LAST QUESTION. I JUST KIND OF TOOK A LOOK AT HOW MANY ACRES IS UNDER THE CEMETERY DIVISION AND IT'S A 200 ACTIVE RIGHT. 207 AND YOU STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE INACTIVE ONES,  RIGHT? HAS YOUR STAFFING GONE DOWN OVER THE YEARS? IS IT IS IT FEELS LIKE 23 PEOPLE TO MANAGE ALL THOSE ACRES.  RIGHT? IT HASN'T GONE DOWN. IT'S JUST BEEN WHAT IT IS. SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AT. I CAME OVER FROM PARKS MAINTENANCE IN 2010 AND THAT WAS THE STAFFING WHEN I GOT THERE AND IT'S A STAFFING TODAY. SO YEAH, WE YOU KNOW LIKE EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT PROBABLY WE COULD USE MORE BODIES BIG PICTURE BUT RIGHT AWESOME.  WELL AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE SELFISH SELFISH AND SAY MOST IMPORTANTLY THE ONE AT MT. HOPE HEARD FROM MY CONSTITUENTS TODAY.  AND WITH THAT SAID, THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING