Parks and Cemetery Board approves DAR bench placement; elects new chair and vice chair

The Norton Parks and Cemetery Board voted Aug. 6 to place a bench donated by the Daughters of the American Revolution at Norton Center Cemetery and elected Bob as chair and Miss Gibson as vice chair.

The vote to recommend bench placement in an open area near a young tree passed on a roll-call vote. Ruth, a Parks and Cemetery Board member, moved "to put, that we recommend the placement of the bench, in the open area that's by the younger tree," and a board member seconded the motion. The motion passed with board members Miss Dimack, Miss Gibson, Miss Witzberger and Mister Fritz voting yes.

The motion followed a discussion about placement options. Board members said they considered siting the bench near large, older trees but worried about falling limbs. Ruth described the preferred site as on the north side of the cemetery "halfway between the fences" and "overlooking" the grounds; she and others noted a small younger tree would provide shade as it grows. One board member used the transcript phrase "that's where the black plague is" while pointing to a group of graves; that phrase appears in the record but was not clarified during the meeting.

Board members also raised maintenance issues at Norton Center Cemetery. A member reported that the back gate will not close because a portion that fits into the ground hole is bent and that a temporary bungee cord had been used. Members asked staff to pass photos to the service department and suggested a simple repair or placing stones to protect the gate post from future impact. The board discussed whether a mower or a vehicle caused the damage; no formal repair order was recorded at the meeting.

The board accepted the minutes for May, June and July (with an earlier June 18 entry noted as amended). A motion to accept the three months of minutes passed on a roll-call vote with the same members voting yes.

Board leadership changes were also on the agenda after the resignation of a member identified in the record as Mister Witwer (the transcript later refers to a "Mister Whitworth" in the same context). Emma, city staff, said she had "a conversation with mister Lowry today, the city administrator" and that Lowry instructed staff to consult the city charter to determine whether any replacement must be from a specific ward; Emma said the position would be posted. The board nominated and then voted to accept Bob as chair and Miss Gibson as vice chair, effective in August; the motion passed by roll call.

The meeting opened at 6:30 p.m., featured limited public participation, and adjourned at 6:42 p.m. Board members thanked volunteers who have cared for the Veterans Memorial plantings during the recent heat.

Votes at a glance: Bench placement — motion to recommend placement in open area by younger tree; mover: Ruth (board member); second: board member (not specified); roll-call vote — Miss Dimack: yes; Miss Gibson: yes; Miss Witzberger: yes; Mister Fritz: yes; outcome: approved. Leadership appointments — motion to accept Bob as chair and Miss Gibson as vice chair, effective August (nomination/motion maker not specified); roll-call vote — Miss Dimack: yes; Miss Witzberger: yes; Miss Gibson: yes; Mister Fritz: yes; outcome: approved. Minutes — motion to accept minutes for May, June and July (mover/second not specified on record); roll-call vote — Miss Gibson: yes; Mister Fritz: yes; (other yes votes recorded); outcome: approved.