Broadcaster Fall 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Message click here
75th Annual Fall Conference A Great Success click here
Touchette Elected President of the New York State Association of Cemeteries click here
Does your Member Cemetery have a web site? click here
The New York State Association of Cemeteries Elects Officers and Directorsclick here
Kensico Cemetery Honors Superintendent of Grounds for 50 Years of Service click here
Government & Legal Affairs Report click here
Green-Wood Cemetery Joins Open House New Yorkclick here
Forest Lawn Cemetery to Construct Frank Lloyd Wright Mausoleum in Spring ‘04 click here
Matthews Offers Online Order Discounts click here
Fall Conference – “Thank You” From Bobbie Gerdus click here
Government & Legal Affairs Report click here
What to Include in a Cemetery Safety Program click here
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President’s Message
Greetings to all! This issue of the Broadcaster is being mailed to both members of the New York State Association of Cemeteries and cemeterians who are not yet members. Membership has its privileges, as the saying goes. NYSAC members enjoy many benefits, including educational meetings and conventions, such as the recent annual convention in Cooperstown, informative publications such as this Broadcaster, and a collective voice for governmental and legal issues. But best of all, NYSAC members have a network of friends and colleagues to call upon for advice and counsel. NYSAC members are just a phone call away.
This issue of the Broadcaster highlights recent legislation affecting cemeteries as well as news from cemeteries and suppliers around the state. I hope you enjoy it. If you’re not a NYSAC member, I hope that you’ll consider joining or renewing your membership.
The members of the New York State Association of Cemeteries continue to provide assistance and support to each other to facilitate our ultimate goal: to help families in need.
I am proud of that tradition, and it is my honor and privilege to serve the Association and its members.
NYSAC President, 2003-2004
P.S. - I’d like to add a special thanks to Roberta Gerdus, Conference Chair, Beth Seme, Executive Director, Jill Cyr and the rest of the staff for their hard work in planning the 75th Annual Convention in Cooperstown. It was one of the best!
75th Annual Fall Conference A Great Success
The 75th Annual Fall Conference at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown was well attended and filled with great speakers. Still, there was plenty of time to play golf, tour the Baseball Hall of Fame, shop or simply relax in the beautiful setting. It is the first time that we have been to the Otesaga in a long time, and everyone loved coming back.
Our first keynote speaker was Sharon Robinson, the daughter of the late baseball great, Jackie Robinson. During the question and answer period at the end she expressed her views of cemeteries and gave some thoughts on how she felt cemeteries could better serve families.
Monday afternoon’s sessions were all about various bills that the Association is following. Richard Fishman, Director of the Division of Cemeteries addressed the group. He discussed the “Do Not Call List”; The Dodd Bill; the Reclamation Bill; the recent problems of burying without a permit during a blackout; a proposed Cremation regulation change; information about preconstruction; and finally the Burial Receipts Bill.
The Government and Legal Affairs Committee spent most of their presentation addressing the recently passed Burial Receipts Bill and the Lot Reclamation Bill which was passed and went into effect on November 9.
The final speaker of the day was Assemblyman Brodsky. He spoke about the new Burial Receipts Bill that he sponsored and was bombarded by many questions from the audience- most of whom totally disagreed with both the intent and the requirements of the bill.
Tuesday morning we were privileged to hear from Harvey Lapin, Esq. Mr. Lapin is a very well known legal expert in cemetery operation and he talked about Ethics in Cemeteries Today and for the Future.
Following Mr. Lapin was C.R. Jones, who is the Conservator of the New York State Historical Association and Farmer’s Museum. He is an expert on old cemeteries and he talked about American Gravestones, Their History and Conservation. He had many slides and enlightened everyone on the evolution of grave markers from the early 1700’s to the present.
This was a most informative conference as anyone who was there can attest. If you didn’t have a chance to attend this year, make sure that you go to our 76th conference which will be held September 19-22, 2004. We will be going to a new resort which is relatively close to Albany and is in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains. It is called the Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club and is in Lenox- just two exits into Massachusetts on I-90. To find out more information about this spectacular resort you can check it out on their web site: www.cranwell.com.
Touchette Elected President of the New York State Association of Cemeteries
Rick Touchette was elected President of the New York State Association of Cemeteries, (NYSAC), at their annual meeting held September 15, 2003 during the 75th Annual Fall Conference in Cooperstown, New York. Touchette is Director of Cemeteries for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Albany Diocesan Cemeteries operates 12 Catholic cemeteries in New York’s Capital District and provides assistance to the 85 parish cemeteries in the 14 county diocese. Touchette resides with his family in the Hamlet of Coeymans, New York.
The New York State Association of Cemeteries (NYSAC) was founded in 1929 to promote the advancement of practical knowledge in the operation and maintenance of cemeteries, to create and maintain high ethical standards in the conduct of cemetery administration, and to secure the advantages to be obtained by mutual cooperation. Nearly 550 members represent not-for-profit, religious, and municipal cemeteries, as well as allied industries.
For more information, please call NYSAC at (518) 783-1134, fax (518) 783-1258, or e-mail nysac@nysac.com. Information is also available on NYSAC’s web site, www.nysac.com.
Does your Member Cemetery have a web site?
If you are a member of the New York State Association of Cemeteries and have a web site for your cemetery or business please email the web site link to info@nysac.com. NYSAC will place a link to your site from www.nysac.com. This service is free of charge for all NYSAC members.
Don’t forget the member’s only section. If you have not signed-up for your password please email info@nysac.com with your desired password today. (Your username is your current email address registered with NYSAC.)
The New York State Association of Cemeteries Elects Officers and Directors
Members of the New York State Association of Cemeteries elected the following officers and directors at 75th Annual Fall Conference in Cooperstown, New York on September 15, 2003.
President: Rick Touchette, Albany Diocesan Cemeteries, Albany
1st Vice-President: Joseph Dispenza, The Forest Lawn Group, Buffalo
2nd Vice President: Harry Caretsky, Wellwood Cemetery Association, Farmingdale
Secretary: Kevin Boyd, Ferncliff Cemetery Association, Hartsdale
Treasurer: Richard Moylan, The Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Directors: G. Richard Bruns, Woodlawn Cemetery, Syracuse
Jay Ivler, Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Glendale
Deborah Niezgoda, Elmlawn Cemetery, Kenmore
The New York State Association of Cemeteries (NYSAC) was founded in 1929 to promote the advancement of practical knowledge in the operation and maintenance of cemeteries, to create and maintain high ethical standards in the conduct of cemetery administration, and to secure the advantages to be obtained by mutual cooperation. Nearly 550 members represent not-for-profit, religious, and municipal cemeteries, as well as allied industries.
For more information, please call NYSAC at (518) 783-1134, fax (518) 783-1258, or e-mail nysac@nysac.com. Information is also available on NYSAC’s web site, www.nysac.com.
Kensico Cemetery Honors Superintendent of Grounds for 50 Years of Service
Louis Palmerini, Superintendent of Grounds at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, NY, was honored for 50 years of continuous service at the annual Kensico Employee Dinner Dance held Saturday, September 6, 2003.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Chester S. Day, President of Kensico Cemetery, presented Louie with an inscribed gold bracelet in recognition of his years of service. Earlier this year Louie received a plaque from the Metropolitan Cemetery Association in tribute to his contributions and dedication to the cemetery industry.
Born in Frosinone, Italy, Louie immigrated to the United States in 1952 at the age of 17. He was hired as a seasonal employee at Kensico that summer and became full-time in 1953 when Sharon Gardens, a section dedicated to the burial needs of families of the Jewish faith, opened. According to cemetery officials, Louie was the first person in the metropolitan area to operate a backhoe for an interment—all digging having been done by hand until then. Louie has been Superintendent of Grounds, overseeing the daily internments in the 461-acre property, for more than 20 years.
Green-Wood Cemetery Joins Open House New York
On Saturday, October 11, historic Green-Wood Cemetery was one of approximately 80 sites taking part in the first annual Open House New York. The brainchild of architect Scott Lauer, who lived in London for eight years and watched London Open House grow to the largest public event in that city, Open House New York offered free public access to landmarks and architectural features throughout New York City’s five boroughs that are rarely open. For the event, the Green-Wood Historic Fund opened a tomb featuring a spectacular stained glass window by Louis Comfort Tiffany (who is interred at Green-Wood) and stools by Tiffany and Company (founded by Charles Tiffany, who rests in the same plot as his son Louis), a hillside mausoleum with three life-size sculptures created by John Moffett and the cemetery’s Catacombs that were constructed in the early 1850’s. Close to 1000 people signed up in advance to visit the cemetery, but the crowd grew well beyond that number. Green-Wood’s historian, Jeffrey Richman, led two separate tours to the sites, stopping along the way to point out places of interest. It was quite a sight to see the cemetery’s Border Avenue covered from side to side and into the distance with visitors. Books, maps, and refreshments were sold, and booklets describing the Historic Fund’s Saved in Time program, to fund the restoration of deteriorating monuments, were distributed. This was a great opportunity to introduce visitors to a few of the many wonders of Green-Wood Cemetery and was a wonderful beginning for an event that should become an annual event in the city.
Forest Lawn Cemetery to Construct Frank Lloyd Wright Mausoleum in Spring ‘04
Forest Lawn Cemetery and Garden Mausoleums announced that it plans to construct the “Blue Sky Mausoleum” designed by architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, on its historic grounds in downtown Buffalo. Ground breaking for the project is scheduled for spring of 2004.
“Blue Sky,” as it is known, is understood to be the only memorial designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and was originally intended to be built in Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery. It was designed in 1928 for the Martin family of Larkin Soap Company fame. Their request was for a burial plot that would be more in the nature of a memorial in stone or concrete sculpture, but not the conventional “family vault” found in most cemeteries around the nation at that time. “Blue Sky” was the design Wright created for them, with a monolith at the top of a flight of gently rising concrete and stone terraces, each one containing provisions for caskets and memorial inscriptions.
The Great Depression, however, precluded its construction. The plans owned by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation have since been made available for construction under the joint direction of Anthony Puttnam, A.I.A., licensed Taliesin architect and apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as associate architect, Robert Stievater, A.I.A., C.S.I. of Buffalo. Once the mausoleum has been constructed, the blueprints will be retired forever – making Buffalo and Forest Lawn Cemetery the home of the only known memorial under the famous architect’s name.
The spectacular mausoleum will literally feature blue sky for its roof, as it ascends skyward on enormous blocks of Bethel White Granite. The cost for construction of the edifice is approximately half a million dollars, and will be funded largely through grants.
Fred Whaley, President of Forest Lawn, said “We chose the location of the ‘Blue Sky Mausoleum’ to overlook two ponds. The breathtaking vista will provide a contemplative atmosphere and give its massive size breathing room. With its focus on the heavens, the design provides an interpretation of what many people consider when they select a final resting place.”
Forest Lawn began in 1849 and is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
Matthews Offers Online Order Discounts
Matthews is offering 1% discounts on all memorials ordered online at its web site www.matthewsbronze.com.
The savings apply to all memorial lines including: Matthews Bronze, Gorham Bronze, Sheidow, Williamsburg and Trinity.
By ordering online, customers can eliminate mail and fax delays, reduce possible errors and receive an order number and printable confirmation within seconds. They also are able to immediately begin tracking their orders using the Fast-Trax link.
“Customers who are ordering online are enjoying the convenience and savings,” said Dave Jones, Matthews’ vice president of sales and marketing.
Fall Conference – “Thank You” From Bobbie Gerdus
As Conference Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the Fall Conference at The Otesaga. I hope you all had a wonderful time and enjoyed Cooperstown as much as I did while making plans for this meeting. As always, what would we do without our suppliers?? They are always there giving us their support even when they know they have about 10 other obligations to take care of. One person who was greatly missed was our incoming President, Richard Touchette. I’m glad to hear that he is doing better and plans to carry out the duties of President as he does so well in his Albany Cemetery. If you were unable to make this conference, please mark your calendar for next year and plan to attend the Spring Seminar in Albany and the Fall Conference at the Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club in Lenox, MA. Again, thanks to everyone for all your support.
Government & Legal Affairs Report
The 2003 legislative session has been successful for the New York State Association of Cemeteries. The Committee along with our legislative counsel, Featherstonhaugh, Wiley, Clyne & Cordo, LLP, have been working towards the passage of the New York State Association of Cemeteries legislative agenda.
The following bills were introduced by NYSAC:
A.7346-Tokasz/S.3418-Marchi. This bill would permit the Modified Return concept to be used on Permanent Maintenance and Perpetual Care funds. This bill has been amended and referred to Corporations on 6/16/03 in the Assembly and in the Senate it was passed on 6/02/03.
A.7345-Tokasz/S.3417-Marchi. This bill would permit cemetery corporations to reclaim graves under certain circumstances, upon application to and approval by the Attorney General. This bill was passed by both the Assembly and Senate. On 9/09/03 it was signed by the Governor as Chapter 478 of 2003.
The following bills are being monitored by our Committee:
A.8569-Brodsky/S.4809-Leibell. This bill would enact provisions relating to voting rights of record lot owners at annual meetings of a cemetery corporation.
S.4836-A-Leibell. This bill provides additional protection against financial fraud and abuse.
A.8568-Brodsky/S.5041-Leibell. This bill would regulate possible conflict of interest situations between officers and directors and the not-for-profit corporations they represent.
The Brodsky(A.1228)/Spano(S.2515-A) “Receipts” bill passed both the Assembly and Senate. On 9/17/03 it was signed by the Governor as Chapter 543 of 2003. The bill requires owner, operator, manager or person in charge of place of final disposition of a body to provide a receipt upon delivery of each body.
The following regulation is being monitored:
Sale of Vaults. The Cemetery Board has sent new regulations to GORR (Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform) for their approval. We are on record in strong support of this measure.
The Anti-Combination Law Suit is in the hands of Senior U.S. District Judge Howard G. Munson. We are awaiting his ruling.
The 2003 Legal Fund Drive is going well. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed. For those who have not yet made their contribution, Please do.
Frank F. Giglio
Chairman
What to Include in a Cemetery Safety Program
An Administrative Manual is designed to provide managers and supervisors with information concerning general implementation of various aspects of cemetery work place safety and health programs. It serves as a reference point for evaluating workplace hazards, conducting safety inspections, responding to employee reports of workplace hazards, conducting employee safety and health training, processing reports of industrial injuries, and similar matters.
The Following are some samples of the topics you may wish to cover:
· Evaluation of Workplace Safety
· Injury Reports and Accident Investigation
· Safety Policy Violations - Discipline
· Preventive Maintenance
· Employee Training
· Workers’ Compensation Reporting
Job Safety Handbook
A Job Safety Handbook is an important element of meeting the communications and training requirements of an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program. It should be designed to include a general description of cemetery program, instructions on how to report unsafe work conditions and work-related injuries and illnesses, information about first aid and medical treatment, information about a cemetery’s hazard communications program and emergency action plan, and a description of the specific general safe and healthy work practices applicable to cemetery employees.
More specific instructions on safe and healthy work practices applicable to a unique group of employees, or to the operation of certain machinery or processes, may be contained in “safety supplements” to the General Job Safety Handbook. If new hazards are added to the workplace, the applicable safe work practice/s required for that hazard also may be produced in a supplement without needing to update the cemetery’s entire General Job Safety Handbook. It is recommended that you produce up to ten supplements in this manner. Then, the General Safety Handbook can be revised and reprinted.
The following is a partial list of the topics covered by a job safety handbook:
· General Safety and Health Program
· Reporting Unsafe Work Conditions and Injuries or Illnesses
· First Aid and Medical Attention
· General Safety Rules
· General Work Environment and Electrical
· Fire Prevention and Emergency Action
· Lifting / Ergonomics
· Exits and Egress / Walkways, Stairs and Stairways / Floor Openings / Elevated Surfaces
· Workplace Security
· Hazard Communication (Right-to-Know)
· Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Respirators
· Exposure Control - Bloodborne Pathogens
· Infection Control - Protective Equipment / Housekeeping / Laundry
· Material Handling / Forklifts / Hoists and Lifts
· Vehicle Safety / Fueling
· Hand Tools / Portable Power Tools / Portable Ladders
· Abrasive Wheel Grinders / Air Compressors and Receivers
· Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
· Compressed Gas Cylinders
· Lockout / Blockout Procedures
· Entering Confined Spaces / Cranes
· Paint Spraying Operations
· Tire Inflation and Automotive Lifts
· Horticultural Operations - Equipment and Machinery
· Hand-Held Horticultural Tools
· Horticultural Chemical Applicator Rigs / Tanks
· Housekeeping Assignments
· Machinery Operation
Supplements:
Supplements provide the means for assigning workplace practices to a specific function, a piece of equipment, a work area or location, or to anything a cemetery operations manager wishes to separate from the general job safety handbook. As noted above, up to ten supplemental categories are recommended before revising and reprinting the General Safety Handbook.
Inspection Checklist
Inspection checklists are an important element of meeting federal and/or state guidelines for identifying and evaluating cemetery workplace hazards. Periodic inspections should be used to identify unsafe conditions and work practices. They should include general inspection items as well as more specific items applicable to unique groups of employees or to the operation of certain machinery or processes. As with the Job Safety Handbook produced by a Cemetery Safety Plan, an inspection checklist can be produced for general purposes as well as supplemental needs. If new hazards are added to the cemetery workplace, the applicable inspection items required for that hazard also may be produced in a supplement without needing to update the cemetery’s entire General Inspection Checklist.
The following is a suggested partial list of the topics covered by a cemetery inspection checklist:
· General Safety and Health Program
· First Aid and Medical Services / Emergency Action Plan
· General Work Environment
· Fire Prevention / Electrical
· Lifting / Ergonomics
· Exits and Egress / Walkways, Stairs and Stairways
· Floor and Wall Openings, Elevated Surfaces
· Workplace Security - General, Assault by Insider / Outsider, Robbery
· Hazard Communication
· Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing, Eyes / Face, Head, Hand, Foot, Respirators
· Exposure Control - Bloodborne Pathogens
· Infection Control - Protective Equipment, Housekeeping, Laundry
· Material Handling / Forklifts / Hoists and Lifts
· Vehicle Operation, Transportation, Fueling
· Hand Tools and Equipment / Portable Ladders
· Portable Power Tools and Equipment
· Abrasive Wheel Grinders / Air Compressors and Receivers
· Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
· Compressed Gas Cylinders
· Lockout / Blockout Procedures
· Entering Confined Spaces
· Paint Spraying Operations
· Tire Inflation / Automotive Lifts
· Horticultural Operations - Equipment / Machinery
· Hand-Held Horticultural Tools
· Horticultural Chemical Applicator Rigs / Tanks
· Machine Operation and Guarding
Supplements:
Supplements provide the means for assigning inspection items to a specific function, a piece of equipment, a work area or location, or to anything a cemetery administrator may wish to separate from the general inspection checklist. Up to ten supplemental categories are recommended before a complete revision and update of the full program.
Forms
A complete library of carefully designed forms can assist with the implementation of every aspect of a cemetery’s safety and health program.
· Training Checklist
· Report of Injury Accident
· Accident Investigation Report
· Employee Report of Safety / Health Hazards
· Hazard Correction Action Plan
· Disciplinary Notice - Safety Violation
· Safety Meeting Minutes
· Emergency Action Plan Poster
· General Hazard Evaluation Worksheet
· Specific Hazard Evaluation Worksheet
Consider - Safety and Health Training Events
To implement an effective Safety and Health Program (and in some cases, to comply with state OSHA regulations), employers must “provide training and instruction”:
· When the Program is first established;
· To all new employees;
· To all employees given new job assignments for which training has not previously been received;
· Whenever new substances, processes, procedures or equipment are introduced to the workplace and represent a new hazard;
· Whenever the employer is made aware of a new or previously unrecognized hazard; and,
· For supervisors to familiarize themselves with the safety and health hazards to which employees under their immediate direction and control may be exposed.
This section of a Cemetery’s Safety Plan provides a record of all training (beyond that of the Job Safety Handbook) provided under this requirement.
Produce an ACTION CALENDAR
An Action Calendar provides a mechanism for following up on needed activities such as inspections, correction of hazards discovered by inspection or otherwise reported, training events, safety meetings, etc. Federal and state guidelines generally require substantial follow-up processes. The calendar record are stored by follow-up date so that a current “to do” list can be created.
OSHA 300
With this Safety Plan, we can record and track all recordable and non-recordable injuries / illnesses for a single cemetery or even in multiple cemetery locations. A great cemetery safety program and guidelines will capture information to help cemeterians to properly track and enter required information. A well-managed safety program should automatically produce information for a cemetery OSHA 300 Log of recordable incidents in approved format, as well as management summaries of injuries and illnesses by type and location.
There’s a great slogan “membership has its privileges.” I freely offer to any registered member of the New York State Association of Cemeteries in Microsoft Word document format or when requested in PDF format (for their customization and use) a complete copy of the: Job Safety Handbook, Supervisor Management Guide to Safety Program, Hazardous Communication Program, Training Information, Forms & Inspection Checklists for use in any NYSAC member’s cemetery.
Peter Ryan, Assistant Director, Catholic Cemeteries, The Diocese of Rockville Centre
pryan@holyroodcemetery.org