Broadcaster Fall 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Investment Stewardship for Cemeteries Best Practices Series click here
President’s Message click here
Government & Legal Affairs Report click here
79th Annual Fall Conference, Cooperstown, NY click here
Riverside Cemetery Association Beautification Project click here
Jonesville Cemetery Celebrates Lives of Sons and Daughters click here
Veterans Memorial Dedicated at Kensico Cemetery click here
Gravestones, Finally click here
2008 NYSAC Southeast Regional Maintenance Seminar click here
Middle Patent Rural Cemetery Association Celebrates 100th Anniversary click here
Utica National Insurance Group Named to "Ward's 50" click here
5th Annual Tri-County Regional Meeting Held in Oneonta click here
Matthews International Corporation Supports Grieving Firefighter's Families click here
St. Agnes Walking History Tour click here


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How often do you update it?
The IPS is not meant to be carved in stone. Rather it is a work in progress, reviewed quarterly and revised annually. The regular updating allows the plan to reflect any changes in financial circumstances and new tools available to reduce a portfolio’s risk exposure and/or increase the return.

If you don’t have an Investment Policy Statement, I strongly advise that you work with a qualified professional to create one. Include discussion about one or more of the following at each of your quarterly meetings:
• The committee’s risk tolerance (compared to recent market volatility);
• The portfolio’s targeted returns (versus recent performance);
• The time horizon for the cemetery’s portfolio (upcoming cash flow needs).

The process of adjusting a portfolio’s asset allocation includes tweaking the percentages held in each of the Investment Policy Statement’s existing choices and adding new investment vehicles designed to reduce risk and/or increase the portfolio’s performance.

Over exposure to a particular or limited number of investments brings its own set of risks to a cemetery’s portfolio, oftentimes without their knowledge. In truth, the best investment a cemetery can make with no risk and only benefits is time spent developing a well thought out investment strategy - customized to reflect your cemetery’s unique financial profile.

Too often cemeteries do what they do because that’s what they’ve always done. Undiscovered risk exposure due to improper or vaguely defined investment policy can remain invisible until too late. With proper planning some of your potential risk exposure can be reduced and your long-term performance increased. Study after study strongly suggests that those with an Investment Policy Statement, including a strategy for diversification, enjoy performance superior to those with no written plan. The past is the past, but the financial future of your cemetery is in your hands. Make it the best it can be.

C. H. Benfield, CFP, CFS, AAMS is a Senior Vice President with Wachovia Securities in New York City and a financial advisor with over a quarter century of experience advising high-net-worth individuals and organizations. Cliff has spoken before thousands of individuals, appeared on television and been quoted in publications such as Fortune Magazine, Bloomberg Wealth Magazine and the New York Post. He is a member in good standing of the Institute of Business and Finance, the Society of Certified Senior Advisors, the Market Technicians Association, and serves as a board member for the Financial Planning Association of New York. He specializes in the implementation of alternative investments to reduce risk in a portfolio.

Please direct any comments or questions to Clifford.benfield@wachoviasec.com.

President's Message
Dear Members of the New York State Association of Cemeteries:
I would like to express my sincere thanks to our members, sponsors, speakers and guests who attended our 79th Annual Conference in Cooperstown and helped to ensure its success. Congratulations to our newly elected officer, Jeff Reed, and thanks to all members of our Board and committees for their time and expertise. On behalf of all, I thank Kevin Boyd for his fine and continuing service to this organization and to Harry Caretsky for a job well done in organizing an excellent conference and to Beth Seme, Jill Cyr and their staff for all of their assistance.

Please join me in welcoming Valerie Newell of Bethlehem Cemetery who has been appointed to the Board filling Andrew Nagle’s unexpired term. Andy is moving up to Secretary which created the vacancy.

On Wednesday, October 10, 2007, I had the opportunity to attend the 5th Annual Tri-County Regional Cemetery Conference in Oneonta, NY. I met many dedicated Cemeterians and welcomed a few new members. May I remind everyone to please reach out to new members?

If this is your first Broadcaster issue since joining our Association, welcome. Please contact me or any of our Committee members with any suggestions or concerns you may have which may help us serve our membership better and thereby strengthen this fine Association.

I invite all to participate in any or all of our conferences. The expertise and helpfulness of our colleagues and speakers is inspiring. I hope to see many of you soon, perhaps at one of our regional seminars. In the meantime, I remind everyone to visit our web site, www.nysac.com.

Finally and most importantly, thank you to all our members for your participation and interest to make this Association a strong voice for all. It is my privilege to be a part of this Association with its long-standing tradition of service.

With gratitude and a wish for Happy Holidays to all,
Theresa Joyce

Government & Legal Affairs Report
The NYSAC Government & Legal Affairs Committee has had a successful year. I wish to thank the Committee members for their hard work. I also want to thank all our members who wrote letters on behalf of the “Veterans’ Bill”. As always, a special thanks to David Fleming for all his time and efforts in delivering our message.

Listed below are the two bills that were introduced by NYSAC this year:

A. 1329-BRODSKY/S.3791-LEIBELL-Abandoned Cemetery Maintenance by Cemetery Corporations – referred to Corporations Authorities and Commission on 1/5/07in the
Assembly & on 3/16/07 in the Senate

A.6948- BRODSKYS.04397-FLANAGAN-Authorizes the Division of Veterans’ Affairs to apply to the U.S. Government for funds to be used to offset the costs of burial of honorably discharged veterans; passed in both the Senate & the Assembly, signed Chap. 652 into law by the Governor on 8/28/07

I want to thank all of our members and suppliers who contributed to the Legal Fund this year. We have raised $25,910 so far this year. To those who have not yet contributed, please be generous.

I look forward to seeing you in Albany.

Frank F. Giglio, Chairman

79th Annual Fall Conference, Cooperstown, NY
Over 100 Cemeterians, suppliers and guests enjoyed several days at the beautiful Otesaga Resort Hotel on the shores of Lake Otsego in Cooperstown, NY.

Thank you to our cemetery sponsors and Bollinger Insurance, Carrier Mausoleums Construction, Inc., Cold Spring Memorial Group, Ensure-A-Seal, Grever & Ward, Matthews International, Merendino Cemetery Care, Mullen Construction Co., Inc., Regan Agency, Inc., The Treiber Group LLC and Watertown Engineering for sponsoring our 79th Annual Fall Conference and helping to ensure its success.

Conference Chair, Harry Caretsky, did an outstanding job as each speaker was enjoyable, knowledgeable and pertinent.

Opening the Conference, the Annual Meeting provided reports of the President, Secretary and Treasurer, Committee chairs, suppliers association and election of officers. Allan Vittum presided over a moving memorial service.

Next, everyone hung on every word of Robert P. Miata, President & CEO of Consolidated Risk Management, a consulting firm specializing in risk abatement, as he spoke on “getting ready for OSHA.” Any cemetery with over 10 employees learned the necessity of OSHA 300 logs and their 5 year retention and posting requirements. Everyone benefited from the distribution of a valuable resource – a chart showing the most frequently cited standards by OSHA. He finished up with an informative slide presentation showing common “housekeeping” problems which can and should be easily rectified. Everyone was inspired to get their house in order.

Next, John C. Metzler, Jr., the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery, gave an inspiring and entertaining look at the operation of a cemetery that performs over 7000 interments, hosts 3000 additional ceremonies and accommodates over 4 million visitors per year. He closed with a beautifully photographed and, at times, heart breaking look at our National Cemetery.

The final speaker Monday, David Rabiner, kept everyone’s attention with his engaging style and challenged everyone to principled behavior leading to values, which in turn, leads to virtues. Through sports analogies, we learned how principled behavior repeated consistently becomes “you” and that “success happens as a relentless commitment to principles and values.”

Tuesday’s program opened with a financial presentation by Jim O’Shaughnessy of Bear Stearns. Concentrating on the 20 year time frame, 2000 – 2020 and emphasizing the importance of “real returns” (purchasing power after inflation), Jim gave some predictions for the future. He stated the single biggest mistake investors make is looking at too short a time frame.

To finish up the program, James Featherstonhaugh and David Fleming, along with NYSAC legal affairs committee chair, Frank Giglio and Richard Fishman, Division of Cemeteries Director, brought up many thought-provoking topics. Discussions included:
• Sale of additional interment rights
• Municipal regulation of cemeteries
• Simplification of modified return formula
• Pet cemeteries

Mr. Fishman announced a Division Newsletter is upcoming and Board meetings now stream live on the web at www.dos.state.ny.us

A thank you and reminder to all, the Veteran’s benefit recently passed is a mechanism for application for funding, therefore, more work needs to be done to fund this initiative.

Some golfing, strolling, shopping, singing and dancing rounded out the program. The food was outstanding and the setting lovely. Nine first-timers were welcomed and we look forward to welcoming you at the Cranwell in Lenox, MA, September 13-17, 2008 for our 80th Annual Fall Conference.

Riverside Cemetery Association Beautification Project
The Riverside Cemetery Association of Wellesley Island, NY is undergoing a four-phase Beautification Project. Phase I is the construction of a wrought iron entrance gate. Phase II will extend the wrought iron fencing out from the gate part way around the cemetery. Phase III will complete the fence around the entire cemetery. Finally, Phase IV will be to design and implement a reflection garden in which people may sit while visiting their loved ones’ gravesites.

The dedication ceremony for the entrance was held on July 14. Dick Fox, member of NYSAC’s Board of Directors spoke to the assembled group.
The gate was designed by R. Scott Oliver, the son of Wellesley Island residents Bob and Debbie Oliver. Mr. Oliver made and erected the beautiful gate with the help of his dad and some other friends. Oliver received his M.F.A from Rochester Institute of Technology and is the owner of Flour City Forge in Rochester.

Jonesville Cemetery Celebrates Lives of Sons and Daughters
By Edward Hughes, Vice President, Jonesville Cemetery Association

Eight families, most of whom were strangers to one another, gathered on a warm July morning in the hamlet of Jonesville, NY, just north of Albany, to celebrate the lives of their departed sons and daughters who are interred in the Jonesville Cemetery. Although family members had visited the cemetery through the years and seen families there, they had never spoken to them about their great loss.

Edward Hughes, Vice President of the Jonesville Cemetery Association, whose 28-year-old daughter Susan passed away three years ago, welcomed the participating families in his opening remarks: “If we were to remain in our valley of darkness, we would be unable to see and to relive the good times we had with our children. We celebrate today our children’s successes, skills, joys, and gifts to us and to others, as we journey together.”

As part of the program, family members said and wrote the names of their sons or daughters, along with their ages and passing dates, on an easel before the seated parents. About half of the children had passed away within the last four years in their early twenties; several others had passed nearly thirty years ago. Some of the other parents who were sent invitations and who chose not to attend had written their regrets: “I am just not able to get through such a celebration.”

Then, the families walked through the hilly, treed cemetery to each child’s resting place to be a comfort to each other and to hear the story of Barbara, Tracy, Susan, Mark, Ryan, Kelsey, Elizabeth and Joel.

To make their children’s lives more real to everyone, parents had brought pictures to share or pointed out pictures already on the markers. As a sign of her support for each family, one parent thoughtfully placed a pink rose at each resting place, as she had done at her daughter’s.

Parents were clearly pleased to speak of their children’s gifts, to chuckle at some humorous event, to wipe away a tear, and to remember. One father said that it was good to be with other parents who share the same loss. A mother said that her other children have grown into adulthood, but her daughter Barbara is forever remembered as always young and happy.

To end the celebration, a Bereavement Counselor at Saratoga Hospice, shared her thoughts and elicited additional comments from the group as they continue to live with their loss. Parents spoke of the coincidences in their lives which provide comfort that their son or daughter is always with them. In a follow-up note, one parent accurately summarized a feeling said by others as they left the cemetery: It does help to remember, to let go, and to hold on to all the best of times.

Veterans Memorial Dedicated at Kensico Cemetery
A memorial monument and plaque honoring veterans of all branches of the United States military was unveiled and dedicated at Kensico Cemetery on Friday, May 25, Memorial Day weekend with representatives from local and state government and veterans groups in attendance. A joint project of Kensico Cemetery and White Plains Post 191, Jewish War Veterans of the USA and its Ladies Auxiliary, the monument depicts nine uniformed men and women beneath the inscription “Duty Honor Country”. To provide a backdrop for this new feature, Kensico Cemetery re-landscaped the Administration Building with trees, shrubs and flowering plantings in red, white and blue.

Gravestones, Finally
In 1854, Dr. Harvey Burdell, an eligible bachelor and prosperous dentist from Manhattan, met Emma Cunningham, a widow with five children, in Saratoga Springs. A romance ensued. He thought she might have money to invest in his financial schemes; she thought he might marry her and support her and her children. But, on January 30, 1857, Dr. Burdell was murdered in his office. Suspicion immediately focused on Mrs. Cunningham, who was soon arrested and jailed. But, after a short trial, she was acquitted of all charges.

This murder case had it all—an abortion, a staged marriage, money grabs, an arrest for breach of promise to marry, spattered blood. And the drama was not over with Mrs. Cunningham’s acquittal—she soon launched a new scheme with a baby that she claimed to have conceived with Dr. Burdell, only to be arrested for fraud nine months after Dr. Burdell’s death. Mrs. Cunningham, rather than be prosecuted for this fraud, soon fled west, only to return penniless to New York City years later, and to die there in 1887. For more than a century, Burdell and Cunningham have lain in their respective family lots at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, their unmarked graves a quarter mile or so apart.

On September 18, 2007, thanks to the efforts and financial contributions of Benjamin Feldman, author of the recently-published Butchery on Bond Street: Sexual Politics & the Burdell-Cunningham Case in Ante-Bellum New York, and the Green-Wood Historic Fund, both Dr. Harvey Burdell and Mrs. Emma Cunningham now lie beneath elegant new gravestones. The new granite monuments, wonderful additions to the cemetery and its efforts to interpret its history, were dedicated on September 18, and New York’s press turned out in force to record the event. After all these years, may they both rest in peace.

2008 NYSAC Southeast Regional Maintenance Seminar
On Wednesday, February 27, 2008, NYSAC will convene its fourth annual Southeast Regional Maintenance Seminar in conjunction with the New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA) Southeast Regional Conference at the Suffern Holiday Inn in Suffern, NY.

There will be three cemetery maintenance sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. with a 90 minute presentation entitled “Innovations in Cemetery Operations” in which Gino Merendino of Merendino Cemetery Care will describe approximately a dozen new ways to make your cemetery operation more efficient. Following a one hour noon time lunch break and separated by a half hour refreshment break, there will be two 60 minute afternoon sessions between 1:00 and 2:00 and between 2:30 and 3:30 that will examine road and roof maintenance issues.

Attendees are also eligible to attend the one hour “Early Bird” Session at 6:30 a.m. that will address turfgrass insects and the 90 minute General Session from 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. that features industry legislative and regulatory reports. They are also eligible to attend any of the NYSTA turf sessions, four trade show breaks and lunch.

Over the winter, you will be receiving from NYSTA the 2008 Southeast Regional Conference program and registration form. If you are interested in attending all or part of the NYSTA program, only the NYSAC cemetery maintenance sessions, or some of both, please complete the registration form and return it and the appropriate payment ( $95 for NYSAC and NYSTA members [or for additional attendees from a NYSAC or NYSTA member cemetery] and $195 for non-members) to the NYSTA office at P.O. Box 612, Latham, NY 12110. Please note there will be an additional $20 charge for on-site registration. If you do not receive a program and registration form, you can contact NYSTA at (518) 783-1229 or visit NYSTA’s web site (www.nysta.org/events/southeast2008/southeast_2008.htm).

Middle Patent Rural Cemetery Association Celebrates 100th Anniversary
On a lovely, early fall day approximately 80 people gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Middle Patent Rural Cemetery Association. Although the association was formed a mere 100 years ago, the cemetery itself dates back to 1743 and has a rich history that is detailed in a recently released booklet by the cemetery’s Secretary-Treasurer, Doris Finch Watson.

The ceremony took place on the cemetery’s grounds on Sunday, September 16, 2007 immediately following the annual meeting. Attendees were welcomed by the cemetery’s president, J. Stuart Brown. After an invocation by The Reverend Harry Abernathy of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, an Armonk Scout Troup presented a flag ceremony and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Other features of the ceremony included patriotic songs led by singer Constance Quarrie, a synopsis of the cemetery’s history by Doris Finch Watson and a prayer of re-dedication by Rabbi Douglas E. Krantz of Congregation B’Nai Yisrael.

After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a tent reception as well as an opportunity to tour the beautiful and historic grounds. For further information on this historic cemetery, you may contact Doris Finch Watson at 914-234-9300.

Utica National Insurance Group Named to "Ward's 50"
by: Brennan P. Regan, Regan Agency, Inc.

The companies of the Utica National Insurance Group have been named to the 2007 “Ward’s 50” list of the top-performing Property/Casualty insurance companies in the United States, selected from among 3,000 companies nationwide.

The Utica National Insurance Group is the underwriting company for The New York Cemetery Insurance Program (NYCIP) – Safety Group #815. NYCIP is the largest insurer of Cemeteries in New York.

Ward Group is a leading insurance industry analyst and operational consulting firm located in Cincinnati, OH. Each year, they analyze the financial performance of Property/Casualty insurance companies domiciled in the United States and identify the top performers based on standards set for safety, consistency, and performance over the past five years. Each of the top fifty companies is awarded the “Ward’s 50” Seal and their names are listed as the “Ward’s 50 Top Performers” for the year.

“This elite group includes companies that have excelled at balancing safety, consistency, performance, and dedication to its customers” said Jeff Rieder, President of the Ward Group.

“The best companies identify what is important to the organization and its customers, and they focus on meeting these needs,” Mr. Rieder said. Ward Group results confirm these findings and identify best practices that set the top-performing companies apart from the rest of the industry.

According to Mr. Rieder, over the past several years, insurance companies have been forced to transform certain aspects of their operations in response to changes in market conditions, technology, and customer demands.

“We have had to reorient ourselves to make sure we were pursuing and executing strategies that made us more efficient and effective, while continuing to serve our agent-customers and policyholder-owners,” Utica National President/COO Brian Lytwynec said. “It’s great to know that, in addition to our own recognition of our improved results, others are taking notice as well.”

NYCIP is available exclusively through Regan Agency, Inc. For more information about Utica National and NYCIP, please contact Brennan Regan at (631) 669-3434 x.224 or bregan@reganagency.com.

5th Annual Tri-County Regional Meeting Held in Oneonta
The Tri-County Regional Meeting was held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 with over 70 Cemeterians meeting at the Oneonta Elks Club to discuss a wide range of issues.

Organized and moderated by Vern Wildenstein and Jim Rice of Walton Cemetery, roundtable sessions included:
• Equipment issues
• Board and Officer responsibilities
• Income/expenses
• Rules & Regulations
A recap of each groups’ discussions was held for all and the following ideas were shared:
• Value of using a reputable dealer for equipment purchases cannot be overstated and often not-for-profit discounts, etc. are available
• Many fundraising ideas were shared, including appeal letters, utilizing service organizations for
fund raisers, memorialization of benefactors, life insurance beneficiaries
• Some expense reducing ideas including “sharing” or “bundling” services, i.e., payroll,
bookkeeping, insurance, and utilizing “volunteer” clean-up days
After lunch, Robert Perry of Topo Graphix Digital Mapping gave a fact-filled presentation of the uses of computer generated mapping, including data protection and updates, web site enhancement, and for use in expansion design plans. He also reviewed uses of ground penetration radar.
Finally, Mary Lee Hedrick and Len Breen of the NYS Division of Cemeteries were on hand and distributed copies of “A Guide to Regulated Cemeteries”, sample Cemetery rules and regulations and “Relevant laws, Administrative Rules & Regulations of the State Cemetery Board governing Cemetery and Crematory Operations.”
Topics discussed included:
• 10-20% of construction costs as recommended required minimum endowment for private
mausoleums
• Utilization of Permanent Maintenance fund surplus
• Lot reclamation law
• Winter burials

Please contact the Division with questions on these or any issue.

All agreed it was enjoyable and time well spent.

Next year’s Tri-County Regional Meeting will be held Wednesday, October 15, 2008. The Tri Counties referred to are Otsego, Delaware and Chenango, however, we are an organization without boundaries and all are welcome! See you there!

Matthews International Corporation Supports Grieving Firefighter's Families
Matthews International Corporation donated a cast bronze plaque of the Firefighters Prayer to the City of Charleston to honor the nine firefighters who lost their lives in rescue efforts while fighting a June 18th warehouse fire.

The 24” X 36” bronze plaque includes the inspiring Firefighter’s Prayer situated between a sculpted image of firefighter kneeling in anguish and the firefighter’s insignia of “valor, honor, dedication and service.” The plaque was made from the same pattern as the cast bronze plaque Matthews donated to the City of New York in remembrance of the firefighters who gave their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“The employees of Matthews are honored in the hope that we can help bring some comfort to the firefighters’ families and residents of Charleston who are grieving the loss of these courageous firefighters,” said John Parham, Matthews’ regional manager for memorial customers in North Carolina and South Carolina, as he presented the plaque to Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, Jr. today at the City of Charleston’s Central Station that houses Engine Companies 2 and 3.

“We hope that this tribute to the firefighters’ devotion to the community serves as a permanent memorial to honor the fallen firefighters as well as a place for those grieving to find solace,” Parham added.

Matthews also presented poignant firefighter statues to the families of the fallen Charleston firefighters. The eight-inch bronze statues are replicas of the firefighter image on the bronze plaque.

Immediately following the firefighters’ deaths, the York-Milso Casket Division of Matthews International donated nine 18-gauge silver steel caskets to the families of the fallen firefighters through McAlister-Smith Funeral Homes and Palmetto Cremation Society of Charleston, SC.

Matthews International Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer principally of memorialization products and brand solutions.

St. Agnes Walking History Tour
More than 125 people participated in walking tours of Historic Saint Agnes Cemetery in Menands. Participants in the tour ranged in age from 15 to 93 and came from locations throughout the Capital District and beyond. The weekly tours, led by Rick Touchette and Molly Nicol, highlighted the natural, cultural, and historical elements of the rural cemetery movement. Interests covered a wide range from general history to symbolism on the monuments to specific questions about Catholic teachings on burial and cremation.

St. Agnes Cemetery also hosted “OASIS”, a national not-for-profit education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of mature adults, for a tour led by Assemblyman John J. McEneny, a noted Albany historian.

The Capital District Funeral Directors Association held its regular October meeting at St. Agnes Cemetery. The Funeral Directors took a tour of the grounds, followed by a luncheon hosted by Albany Diocesan Cemeteries.