Council approves two projects at Oakwood Cemetery

When flags go up at Oakwood Cemetery, each one has a memorial nameplate on its pole. With the plaques getting knocked off and damaged easily, council member Scott Brighton, who has taken over the “Avenue of Flags” volunteer group, proposed a new idea for the nameplates.

Brighton said the Avenue of Flags group would like to take the nameplates off the flag poles and put all the names on flag-shaped signs. The signs would be mounted behind the podium in the “Circle of 13 Flags,” near the veterans memorial area.

Along with installing the signs, the Avenue of Flags group would like to add walkways and sidewalks to the memorial area to make it more easily accessible.

The other cemetery project on the March 16 council agenda involved proposed repairs to the cemetery’s fence.

Back at the Oct. 6 council meeting, the council discussed the fence that borders the west side of the cemetery. The discussion was tabled until the location of the fence in relation to the lot line was determined. At the Oct. 20 council meeting, it was reported that the fence was cemetery property.

At the March 16 meeting, City Administrator Russ Farnum said Council Member Dave Goedken is willing to volunteer to clean up around and straighten the fence.

Goedken’s proposal includes moving the old entrance gate to near the front brick pillars, removing vines, trees and other vegetation from the fence line and straightening up and reinforcing the fence.

At the cemetery board’s March 10 meeting, the board approved the motion to approve Goedken’s proposal by a vote of 3-1. Mary Melchert voted no.

At the March 16 council meeting, Melchert said the discussion was tabled back in October because the cemetery board was not informed on where the fence was in relation to the property line.

“It’s just a band-aid approach to the larger problem, and that is the age of the fence, being 100 years old,” Melchert told the Council. “… I think it’s a nice attempt to try to make it look nicer, but there are things that Dave is not going to be able to do with volunteers, because it is an enormous project. I appreciate what he’s trying to do, but it’s just a band-aid approach.”

Barb Himes, one of the residents on El Camino Real whose property borders the cemetery, expressed her feelings on wanting to preserve the fence.

“None of the residents ever asked for or inquired about doing anything with the fence,” Himes said. “We don’t want you to spend money on the fence. All the property owners maintain our area by the fence for as long as we’ve lived in the houses.”

Himes added that she would like to see the council vote in conjunction with the cemetery board’s vote, as the fence has been standing for over 100 years.

After discussion, Brighton moved to approve the cemetery fence repairs by Goedken. Council member Candy Langerman seconded the motion, and roll call was unanimous.

Tree Board changes

With the recent revamping of the Parks and Recreation board and its priorities, P&R Director Jacob Oswald said it’s an opportune time to discontinue the city’s tree board.

The council approved the setting of a public hearing for April 20 on the discontinuation of the board.

Oswald said the Tree Board and the Parks and Recreation Board have agreed that consolidating the boards would be beneficial for both city staff and board members.

With the consolidation, the Tree Board responsibilities – including the care, preservation, planting, replanting, pruning, and removal of trees and shrubs in parks, along streets, -- and other public areas -- will now fall under the oversight of the Parks and Rec Board.

“The tree board was created because Trees Forever required one in order to receive funding. I reached out to them and there is no requirement for that (anymore),” Oswald said.

Other council news

• The council approved the hiring and wage setting of a Monticello Ambulance on-call driver.

Ambulance Director Lori Lynch hired Erlin Bell as an on-call driver, with an hourly wage of eight dollars. Bell is the son of current ambulance member Chris Bell and will help cover secondary calls for service while Lynch is in the office.

Lynch added that the department has a need for staff during the day.

• Council also approved pay request #22 to Bill Bruce Builders Inc. for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project in the amount of $845,993.31.

City Administrator Russ Farnum said the project will be completely finished in June 2027, with all of the new treatment features operating sometime this fall.