Broadcaster Spring 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NYSAC Annual Maintenance Seminar Draws Record Numbers to Long Island click here
A Message From The President click here
NYSAC Announces Its Master Trust click here
Join Us In Albany May 3-4 for NYSAC’s 22nd Annual Government & Legal Affairs Seminar click here
NYSAC Fall Conference click here
Government & Legal Affairs Update click here
Insurance Update click here
National Catholic Cemetery Conference News click here
Labor News click here
Kensico Cemetery Appoints New Officers click here
Kensico Earns Top Communication Award click here
NYSAC Annual Maintenance Seminar Draws Record Numbers to Long Island
On March 11 and 12, a group of cemeterians, green industry professionals, suppliers and other experts attended the New York State Association of Cemeteries (NYSAC) Annual Maintenance Seminar at the Melville Marriott Hotel on Long Island. NYSAC president, Paul Grassi, welcomed attendees from all regions of New York State to the conference entitled Cemetery Grounds Maintenance for the Millennium. The educational program addressed issues vitally important to cemetery maintenance crews.
Conference coordinator, and program moderator, Maria Cinque of Cinque Associates, Limited, kicked off the program by giving a detailed presentation on how to properly identify turfgrass problems. Maria walked attendees through the steps and thought processes of what to do when faced with identifying turfgrass maladies.
Dr. Henry Indyk, Rutgers University professor emeritus and turfgrass consultant with Professional Turfcon Consultants, presented program participants with a colorful overview of disease- and drought-tolerant turfgrasses which can be used on cemetery grounds.
A new threat to trees, the Asian Longhorned Beetle, was the topic of a discussion by Dennis Roberts, plant inspector with the United States Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Inspector Roberts indicated that quarantine areas are enlarging as the insect, for which there is no known control, is venturing out into new territories.
Cornell University Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator Rod Ferrentino discussed establishing an IPM program. He also spoke about how the laws and regulations at the federal, state and county levels will effect grounds managers.
Margery Daughtrey, senior extension associate in plant pathology at the Cornell Long Island Horticulture Research Lab introduced attendees to many disease-free trees with special characteristics.
Charlotte Coffman, senior extension associate in the Department of Textiles at Cornell University outlined proper protection when mixing and applying pesticides. Ms. Coffman also explained the different types of protective clothing that should be worn for the various categories of pesticides.
Randy Van Yahres, director of planning and development for Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Brooklyn; Patricia Jasaitis, urban composting project coordinator for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; and Ken Taylor, superintendent of The Green-Wood Cemetery ended the educational portion of the conference with a lively panel discussion on composting.
A trade show accompanied the educational program. An outdoor equipment demonstration topped off the second day of the conference. Suppliers demonstrated tractors, mowers, trucks, and other grounds maintenance equipment.
A number of sponsors supported this year’s conference. Among them were: Keil Brothers, Washington Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Sheer Asset Management, George Malvese & Co., Metropolitan Cemetery Association, Big Beck’s Cement Works, The Treiber Group, Dominick De Negris Inc., Norwalk Wilbert Vault Co., The Woodlawn Cemetery, Salem Field Cemetery, and The Green-Wood Cemetery.
The NYSAC Board of Directors would like to thank all of our speakers, exhibitors and sponsors for helping to make this year’s conference such an enormous success.
A Message From The President
Nineteen hundred and ninety-nine is upon us. We have but nine more months to prepare for the millennium. What an exciting time of our life to have the opportunity to welcome in a new century!
As your president, I had the opportunity to welcome in a new era for the association. At the February 5th board meeting, I introduced Elizabeth A. Seme as the new executive director of the association. Ms. Seme has served as executive director for the New York State Turfgrass Association for the past 13 years. The selection committee felt very comfortable with Ms. Seme. We all believe her expertise should help the growth of our association.
Over the last several months the Division of Cemeteries has held meetings on regulatory reform. Several cemetery operators throughout the state participated in discussions on lot reclamation, monument restoration and funding for pre-construction. There was an exchange of ideas and some of our recommendations will be used in the reform process. Also, there now seems to be awareness by the Division of Cemeteries that many cemeteries throughout the state are severely under funded. It’s going to be difficult for these cemeteries to provide services in perpetuity. Unfortunately, the Division remains unwilling to allow cemeteries to sell products and provide services to add new revenue streams.
At the February 5th board meeting, the formation of a Master Trust was unanimously approved. This will benefit cemeteries by offering them professional investment management. Frank Giglio and his committee have been reviewing proposals from asset managers. Details should be finalized in time for the Legislative conference on May 3rd and 4th in Albany. If the Master Trust is as successful as the “safety group,” it will be a home run!
In May, our Government and Legal Affairs Committee will be soliciting contributions for the Legal Fund. Your financial support allows the committee to continue to be proactive on legislative issues that confront our industry. As this is written, co-chairmen Chester Day and Richard Touchette are formulating their program for the Legislative conference in Albany. This conference offers a wealth of information plus the opportunity to meet and talk with our regulators.
I would like to extend congratulations to our newly-elected board members: Harry Caretsky of Wellwood-Beth Moses Cemetery, Farmingdale; Kevin Boyd of Ferncliff Cemetery Association, Hartsdale; and Andrew Nagle of The Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. I would like to extend a special thanks to Roberta “Bobbie” Gerdus, who not only has been a help to me, but also to the association, for many years.
I look forward to seeing you at the Legislative Conference in Albany on May 3rd and 4th.
Sincerely yours,
Paul K. Grassi
NYSAC Announces Its Master Trust
The Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Cemeteries is proud to announce the formation of its Master Trust. The Bank of New York has been chosen to serve as investment advisor and co-trustee.
The Master Trust will enable small, medium and large cemeteries to have their general funds and trust funds managed in a professional manner at a competitive price. We encourage all of our members to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
You will be receiving information regarding the Master Trust in the near future and the Albany seminar will feature an informative program regarding this new venture.
Frank F. Giglio
Committee Chairman
Join Us In Albany May 3-4 for NYSAC’s 22nd Annual Government & Legal Affairs Seminar
The 22nd Annual New York State Association of Cemeteries Government and Legal Affairs Seminar will be held on Monday and Tuesday, May 3-4, 1999 at the Desmond Hotel, Albany, New York. Chester S. Day, Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY and Richard Touchette, Albany Diocesan Cemeteries, are the co-chairmen of this NYSAC-sponsored event.
Paul K. Grassi, president of the association, will open the seminar at 2:45 pm on Monday, May 3. Lawrence F. Sloane, management consultant from L.F. Sloane consulting Group and liaison with the ICFA Government and Legal Affairs Committee, will bring us up to date on what is going on with cemeteries on the national level. Timothy Griffin, executive vice president and general counsel, Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, NY, will talk about the importance of documentation in today’s litigious society.
Frank Giglio, chairman of the NYSAC’s Government and Legal Affairs Committee, along with our legal counsel, James Featherstonhaugh, Beth Clyne, and David Fleming, will tell us what our committee is working on and what is going on legislatively in Albany. Frank and Susan E. Walsh, vice president of Bank of New York, will provide information on the NYSAC Master Trust Plan which will benefit all cemeteries.
A cocktail party will be planned where we can meet with members of the New York State delegation on the Cemetery Board: Sam Messina, John Eadie, Donald Segal, and Ross Runfola. This will be followed by a dinner reception. Also present will be staff members of the association’s new executive director, Elizabeth (Beth) Seme. The Honorable Alexander Treadwell, Secretary of the State of New York, Department of State, will speak to the association.
On Tuesday, May 4, 1999, Peter Treiber of The Treiber Group, will review the association’s group workers compensation insurance plan and we are again honored to have Kevin Bannon, executive vice president and chief investment officer for The Bank of New York, review investment strategies.
Finally, we will have a panel discussion concerning regulatory issues for 1999 led by Richard Fishman, Director of the Division of Cemeteries; Michael Itzo, Assistant Director; Donald Segal, Assistant Attorney General; Dan Shapiro, Legal Counsel; Edward Hand, Senior Investigator; and MaryLee Hedrick, Administrator.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you.
Chester S. Day & Richard Touchette
Committee Co-Chairs
NYSAC Fall Conference
The theme for the 1999 Fall Conference will be “Y2K and Beyond.” Although the “Y2K” familiar to most of us deals with computers and whether they will be ready for the new millennium, this conference will not address computers and their problems! Instead, the conference will look at the new millennium and begin to see some of the new challenges that it will present to cemeteries.
The conference will be held at the beautiful Sagamore in Bolton Landing on Lake George, Sunday, September 26, through Wednesday morning, September 29. For those who would like to spend some extra time looking at the fall foliage (it should be close to peak season), we have reserved a block of rooms for Saturday arrivals. Saturday night will also feature an optional dinner cruise on the Sagamore’s boat, The Morgan. It was truly a hit with all those who went last time.
The Sagamore is in a beautiful area of the state, and has one of the finest golf courses in the east. Our traditional golf tournament will be held on Tuesday afternoon. Boating, fishing, horseback riding, and a host of other activities await conference attendees during our free time on Tuesday.
An opening dinner will be held on Sunday night. On Monday night, dinner is on your own. The Sagamore has three excellent restaurants from which to choose. The final banquet and installation of officers will be Tuesday night.
More information, in addition to brochures and a video, will be available at the Spring Conference at the Desmond on May 3 and 4.
Allan J. Vittum,
Committee Chairman
Government & Legal Affairs Update
We expect 1999 to be a challenging and hopefully rewarding year.
The Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Cemeteries has endorsed an aggressive game plan for the upcoming year.
Three bills that we plan to introduce are:
1) Lot Reclamation
2) an amendment to Article 15 of the New York State Not-For-Profit Corporation Law in reference to Monument Restoration and
3) an amendment to 1506. Cemetery Lands
We also plan to pursue the “Modified Return” Bill which passed in the Senate last year, but failed to move out of Committee in the Assembly.
We look forward to seeing you in Albany and wish to thank everyone for their continued support of our committee.
Frank F. Giglio, Chairman
Insurance Update
This is a good time to check your insurance coverage. Please note the following information:
The NYSAC has endorsed a product offered by The Treiber Group, LLC, offering Workers Compensation on a dividend program for the past nine years. This program has delivered a 40% return for six consecutive years. With the 1999 renewal, the group offers an up front premium discount of 30% to all members. Depending on the size of your cemetery and policy/loss history, this up front discount can be increased up to another 10%. The NYS assessment charge is deferred on the program, which is currently at 9.4% of your premium. The current members have experienced tremendous savings with the program.
Another product available is a Directors & Officers liability program, which offers the defense outside the limit of liability and includes employment practices liability.
Please call Valerie Geasor at Treiber for any information regarding the above coverages. The phone number is (800) 234-8367, Extension 2402.
Before renewing your present insurance, please review your coverages and costs. If there are any suggestions, please contact any member of the insurance committee.
Jim Huggins, Committee Chairman
National Catholic Cemetery Conference News
The National Catholic Cemetery Conference is an organization made up of 1,100 members representing Catholic cemeteries in the United States, Canada, and Australia. There are also 125 supplier member firms whose products and services assist the cemeterians in their work.
At its September convention in San Diego, the following members were elected officers of the conference:
President Rev. Robert M. Cameron, Dir. of Cemeteries
Diocese of Kansas City/St. Joseph, MO
Vice President Irwin C. Benken, CCCE, Dir. of Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, OH
Secretary John J. O’Brien, Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario
Treasurer Mark A. Christian, CCCE, Executive Dir. of Catholic Cemeteries, Wilmington, DE
Newly elected to the Board of Directors was Rev. Robert L. Buckley, CCCE, Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of Albany, NY. Outgoing past-president Ellen Woodbury, Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY, was honored for her years of service to the conference.
The conference is currently planning for its annual convention which will be held at the Chicago Hilton and Towers from September 13-16, 1999. At that time, NCCC will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, the first conference having been held February 1-2, 1949, also in Chicago. For further information, the conference headquarters can be reached at (847) 824-8131.
Neal S. Barlin, NCCC Representative
Labor News
On April 8, 1998, eight downstate cemeteries endured a 30-week strike/lockout effecting members of Local 74 of the Service Employees International Union. The strike/lockout began at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Queens. In response, Mount Ararat, Mount Zion, Mount Carmel, Mount Hebron, Montifore, Mount Judah, and Washington Cemetery locked out their employees.
Local 74, comprised of over 12,000 members, merged with Local 365 of the same international during the labor dispute. Local 365 was a much smaller local with approximately 1,300 members, 350 of which were involved in the strike/lockout.
The issues in the dispute included wages, health and pension benefits, a drug and alcohol program for union employees, the elimination of the past practice clause from the contract, and retroactive pay increases. The strike/lockout was settled on November 4, 1998 with management and the union agreeing to a five-year contract which includes staggered wage increases, a cap on contributions by the employer to the health and pension plans, a drug and alcohol program, and the elimination of the past practice clause from the contract.
Dominick Tarantino, Committee Chairman
Kensico Cemetery Appoints New Officers
Chester S. Day, President of Kensico Cemetery, has announced the appointments of Robert Pregiato and Beverly Vaillancourt as vice presidents, and Sonia Chacho as assistant to the president.
A graduate of Pace University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Robert J. Pregiato of Yonkers joined Kensico Cemetery staff in 1994 as controller. He previously worked for Hudson International Conductors in Ossining.
Beverly Vaillancourt of Ossining joined the Kensico Cemetery staff in 1982 as secretary to the president, was appointed assistant secretary in 1992, and assistant vice president in 1995. She is a graduate of Ossining High School and Berkeley College.
The appointment to the position of vice president expands their responsibilities to include participation in the management of cemetery operations.
Sonia Chacho of Hawthorne joined the Kensico Cemetery staff in 1986 as executive secretary. She is a graduate of the Latin American Institute in New York City and is a member of the National Notary Association.
Kensico Cemetery is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1889 to serve the burial needs of families in the New York metropolitan area.
Kensico Earns Top Communication Award
Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, NY, took top honors in writing at the Association for Women in Communications Clarion Awards presentation held March 10 in Tarrytown.
The Gold Clarion was awarded to Kensico Cemetery in the writing category for the 16-page four-color annual report “Milestones and Markers: The Kensico Path to Family History.”
Accompanied by photographs taken on the cemetery property, the text offers both traditional and unusual approaches to genealogical research. The publication was written by Judith C. Mitchell, senior writer at Sutton and Partners of Old Greenwich, CT. “Milestones and Markers” also earned “Best of Show” in Writing at the awards ceremony.
An Honorable Mention was given to Kensico Cemetery in the Public Relations category for its entry “The Kensico Classroom Kit,” a compilation of art, science, mathematics, and social science activities for grade school teachers. The Kit was produced with the help of an education department intern from the College of New Rochelle. Accepting the Clarion awards for Kensico Cemetery were Sonia A. Chacho, Assistant to the President, and Judith C. Mitchell.
Kensico Cemetery is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1889 to serve the burial needs of families in the New York metropolitan area.